OF BIRDS AND BEASTS: FINE LINE
by MoonLitPride
Summary: Due to a freak attack by Control Freak, d Titans hav restlss niyts. dis leads 2 many awkward n humorous situatns wch leave Beast Boy n Raven wid something dey both thought dey wud nevr find. "im bak n d story wil continu soon...shameful tht i delayd..."
1. dreams and nightmares

_**Author's Note**: I know It's been a very, VERY long time since i uploaded a new chapter. even now, i'm only doing the first chapter again. but no serious edits, just a few mistakes corrected, etc. also, a new chap is ready ans as soon as i complete correcting the chaps so far, i'll upload the new one...i'm really sorry to all the dear people who followed this fic and were left dissapointed. wont happen again...why??_

_BCOS I GOT INTERNET, FREE AGAIN!!! and the time too...so, enjoy!_

_-Moonlitpride_

**Of Birds and Beasts** by MoonLitPride

Prologue:

After throwing control freak in the jail for the hundredth time, the titans decide that they would have to do something about him. They know that he will be out of jail in no time and tired of fighting him and his stupid but dangerous inventions time and again, the titans devise a plan to have him locked up in a prison specially designed by them. They are successful in this but not before control freak gets one good blast at all of them. The titans feel no immediate effect of the blasts and decide that, for once, control freak's machine was malfunctioning. At least that is what they feel. What they don't know is that Control Freak and his freakazoid gun would soon be the least of their worries.

Pairings: BBRae, StarRob

Disclaimer: oh come on! If I did own the titans, would I be sitting here, feverishly typing stuff into the laptop with the doors closed so that mom won't catch me at it?

But since that is exactly what I am doing, I DON'T (sob) own the titans. By the way, I have taken the liberty of altering the titan's ages as I felt they should be!

**Chapter 1: dreams and nightmares**

Beastboy twisted and turned in his sleep. He was, as the whole tower knew, a deep sleeper and accomplished snorer.

At least, that was what he had been until 2 days ago. Ever since the last attack by Control Freak BB's sleep was disturbed and broken.

Tonight, in particular, he was having a very detailed dream of something that seemed to make no sense: the sitting room with all of the titans doing what they usually do.

Starfire: playing with Silkie

Robin & Cyborg: fighting over who won in the video game (they had recently bought Xbox-360)

Raven: reading Dark knights' fortress

Beastboy: pouring over a new comic

One would wonder what was disturbing about this everyday usual scene. But for Beastboy there _was_ something very disturbing. In the dream that he was having, Beastboy was like a spectator looking down upon the titans lazing in their sitting room and it was extremely odd and uncomfortable to keep looking at a calm scene without having any part in it. It was almost as if the scene was frozen it time and as if any minute anything could happen that would disrupt the peace.

Beastboy turned over, snorting gently as he did and then flipped to the side again. The bedcovers were all twisted around him and his fists were clenched. He turned over again and with a muffled flop, fell onto the floor.

"Not tofu, please…." He screamed insensibly and then stopped short groaning. _Get a grip BB that was a stupid dream though I don't see how tofu got in the middle._

He clambered onto the bed and promptly fell asleep. No sooner had his eyes closed, he was dreaming again, this time a different dream.

It was the same old sitting room though only one person was present now: Raven

She was, as usual, reading a book and in general acting like the only things on the earth were the book and herself.

In his sleep, Beastboy gave a small sigh.

After a few minutes she yawned and put the book down. Stretching, she got off the couch and headed towards the kitchen for her usual cup of tea. She quickly made the tea and leaning against the table, started sipping it.

So far the dream had been going nice and everything was happening as it usually did. Beastboy was just starting to get comfortable in his sleep when things took a drastic turn.

Raven was standing, well leaning actually and if anyone was in front of her, they could see her from head to foot. With every sip of tea she took, her perfectly carved figure, i.e. her breasts seemed to grow smaller.

Beastboy started twisting in his sleep again. He was just beginning to enjoy his dream when it goes and turns into a nightmare, just as dreams often do. This nightmare was not only creepy but very, very confusing as well and if he was awake, Beastboy would have wondered why _he_ was having _this _dream about _that_girl.

Raven took another sip of tea and her breasts grew smaller still. Soon the whole cup was over and raven was left with a torso as flat as a cutting plank!

"Ahhhhhhhhh……" for the second time that night Beastboy fell off the bed. But unlike last time, instead of just going back to sleep, he dashed out of his room and ran all the way to Raven's room. Without thinking and unable to shake the image of a disfigured Raven from his mind, Beastboy started banging on her door.

"Raven….open up" he yelled, banging all the time. If he would have been his normal self, he would have thrown himself off the tower rather than bang on the door of a reputed half demoness in the middle of the night.

But he wasn't his normal self and he continued banging.

_WHAM!_

The door swung open to reveal a very annoyed and half sleepy Raven. Before she could tell him that she was going to send him into another dimension where all you get to eat is meat, Beastboy started talking like his life depended upon it, which it actually did, considering the vein pulsing in Raven's forehead. But, of course, he didn't notice this.

"Raven, whew! Man, I mean woman…..wait , uh…girl you have no idea what a creepy dream I had and I'm telling you, babe, you would so totally freak out if you knew and then we would have to rebuild the Titans' tower again for you would most definitely turn it into dust and…and………"

Beastboy trailed off, getting a proper look at Raven now. Even as he looked and realized that nothing had happened to her body (_whew!)_he also registered the look on her face (_oh shit!)_which promised him an early and very graphic death if he didn't explain himself immediately.

Raven crossed her arms across her chest and growled something that sounded very much like "come again?"

Beastboy gulped, completely awake now. He took a step backward and was about to run for his life when he was pulled back by an aura of black energy and not very carefully propped up against the wall.

"Explain" said Raven

"Just….nothing really Raven, I swear…I…..ouch...that hurt….." catching the look in her eyes he decided to tell the truth…or not. He couldn't do that. Never. Not unless he wanted to end up as meat for next day's lunch.

"Actually, Raven, I ….just had a bad dream and…..he he…" Beastboy rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling nervously and Raven's eyes narrowed

"And?"

"And I …….I dreamt ….that the tofu ….all the tofu in the world got eaten up……by…by you….and….."

Raven dropped him and crossed her arms across her chest again, towering over him as he sat where she had dropped him.

"You woke me up for telling me this? "She asked, her voice dangerously calm

"Well…….it had seemed very real then…."Beastboy said, fleetingly looking at her crossed arms. Thankfully, Raven didn't seem to notice.

Raven gave a half snort – half sigh and unfolded her arms. She pointed at Beastboy, who was still on the floor, and then in the direction of his room.

"Go…..now."

Beastboy didn't wait to be told twice. When he was back in his room (having made sure the door was double-locked from inside) he flopped down on his bed and let out a long, relieved sigh.

_**Man, you just got yourself nearly killed just then**__._He thought, swinging his legs off the floor and on to his bed. He pulled the covers over his head but couldn't stop himself from thinking._**Even if I did have such a weird dream, why was I so concerned?**_He turned over, deciding that he had rushed over to her in the middle of the night because if any such weird thing happened to Raven, she would kill him first since he was the prankster among the titans. Slowly, he felt sleep wash over him again, but as his eyes closed, some part of him knew that that was not the reason.

Author's note:

_**Well? How was it? Please, please if you like it or not, review and tell me what you liked or didn't like so I can write accordingly**_

_**moonlitpride**_


	2. insomniac

**Chapter 2: insomniac?**

Next morning, as he stretched in his bed, Beastboy hardly remembered what had happened the previous night. He got off the bed and groaned wondering why something did not feel right. He found out soon enough when he glimpsed the alarm clock which read 5: 36 am.

_5: 36? _Beastboy could hardly believe his eyes. What the hell was he doing up so early? He was the one who usually got up last and that too with a lot of persuasion and threats.

_Maybe I should just go back to sleep._ He thought_. But, hell, I don't feel sleepy, just tired._ This was true. Beastboy felt as if he had been awake the whole night doing one of Robin's training sessions. He groaned again. _Maybe if I get something to eat I'll feel better and then I can sleep again._

He made his way to the bathroom. _Brush first, eat later……_

_And if they don't let us in through the front_

_We'll come through the side…..._

Raven bent over to put on the other boot.

_Cos I don't ever want to leave again_

_Without at least saying goodbye_

Raven was singing under her breath as she got dressed in her room. She had taken a fancy to Eminem lately and this was one of her favorite songs. If the rest of the gang knew that she loved songs as much as they did, they would all flip. She could just picture Beastboy doing a war dance with…by the way, why had he come banging at her door at 12 in the night yesterday? _Something about tofu_. Raven smiled to herself. It was a very small smile but a smile nevertheless. Even as she smiled a frown appeared on her brow. Why had she not been able to sleep last night? It was with great difficulty that she had finally nodded off.

_Maybe I was still uptight after the Control freak episode._ She hummed as she wore the rest of her trademark blue, not knowing how close she was to the truth.

When Beastboy stepped into the living room, he got the shock of his life. He had expected to be the only one awake but he wasn't. they were all there: Cyborg slumped over a cup of something hot, Robin sitting on the couch and looking like he didn't know what to do(which was most unusual for him) and Starfire who was hovering near the ceiling with a brush in her hand. They all looked up at him as he entered the room and didn't seem to be even in the least surprised to find him there.

"Umm...is it only me or do you all feel that something is not right?" he asked making his way towards the fridge. No one answered. Beastboy stopped with his hand on the fridge handle. "Well?"

Cyborg looked up but before he could open his mouth, a diversion in the form of raven entered the room. She seemed to be just as startled as Beastboy was to see them all there and froze.

"Did some one die? "She asked, recovering quickly and assuming her sarcastic tone. They all looked at her and even robin seemed at a loss for what to say.

"So none of you could sleep well last night?" Beastboy asked

"Beastboy, if you ask that question once more…." Raven couldn't complete the threat as Robin stood up abruptly.

"We need to go and check on control freak" he said straitening his utility belt. "Something tells me he is responsible for our restless night yesterday."

"Can I come too, friend Robin?" Starfire asked, her green eyes wide with worry.

"Yes and even cyborg. He after all designed the prison……"

"Dude, we all need to come" Beastboy said standing up and morphing into a robin (bird). He fluttered around Robin's head. "Control freak may put up a fight"

Robin caught Beastboy in the air "no! I have another job for you. You will go with Raven to the Weaponery and search for that stupid thing with which control freak blasted us" he dropped Beastboy as he said this. Beastboy morphed into himself again, looking very indignant.

"Dude, I am 19, you can't order me about…….."

Robin raised one eyebrow, that is, in his case, one side of his mask.

"Fine, fine captain! Just kidding" Beastboy grinned and Raven groaned

"Listen, boy dunderhead, you had better return quickly….." behind her, Beastboy's grin widened at Robin's red face. It was good to have Raven fire Robin for a change. "……otherwise I will not only kill Beastboy but feed him to you, get it" Beastboy's grin faded.

"Chill, Raven. We'll be back soon. Just find that Freak's gun and keep it carefully" Robin ran a hand through his hair. "Now, what about breakfast?" he asked


	3. what the weaponery can reveal

**Chapter 3: what the Weaponery can reveal**

In less than an hour's time, Raven and Beastboy were walking down the long flight of steps that led to the Weaponery. It was here that the titans stored all mechanical and electrical junk as well as the items that they confiscated from bad guys.

Even though Raven would have preferred to read something in peace, she was not particularly upset at having to search the Weaponery with Beastboy. The titans all had matured considerably. Not all of them were teens anymore. Robin was 22, Cyborg 23 and Beastboy would be 21 in a few months time. Raven herself was19 and though it had taken a while to calculate Starfire's age, Cyborg had arrived at 18. People expected the titans to separate, now that they were older but nothing could ever do that to them and they all knew it. After Trigon's defeat, the titans had become closer and Raven tolerated Beastboy more than usual. Of course, he still got on her nerves…….like right now.

"And then you mix it with olives and top of the whole thing with pepper! Voila! Pepper-tofu pizza ready. If you want an ex…….."

"Beastboy, what makes you think I would be interested in tofu pizza?" they were coming to the end of the steps now.

"Aw come on! You haven't even tasted it Rae…..ven. It tastes exactly like normal pizza"

"Have _you_ tasted normal pizza?"

"Well, no…….but…"

"Then how can you say and stop talking about food." Raven sighed "here we are. She pressed her hand to the scanner at the side of the huge metallic doors. A blue light passed the length of her hand and Cyborg's voice came out of a speaker:

"Access authorized"

The doors slid open and Beastboy and Raven stepped inside. The doors closed behind them. They were standing in a huge long room that was full of odd bits of electronic items, old junk, etc;

"Well, you search that aisle, I'll do this one" Raven said pointing.

"Let's do the aisles together." Beastboy said, morphing into a huge hunter dog.

"Why? So that you can bore me to tears with tofu recipes?" Raven hadn't meant it to sound rude or unkind.

Beastboy morphed back "I thought it would finish sooner but never mind" he turned abruptly and disappeared behind a towering shelf. But Raven had caught the hurt look on his face.

Rather guiltily, she turned to face the aisle in front of her._ Come on Raven._ She told herself. _He is always getting on your nerves and you are always ticking him off._ All the same, she felt bad. She knew she ought to be thankful for Beastboy's sense of humor and never tiring efforts to get her to laugh. But somehow, even though she was much more open these days, she still felt a little scared to express her emotions, especially around Beastboy.

"Did you find anything?" she called out suddenly, cursing herself for going so soft

"No"

The answer that came from the other end of the room was short and cutting. Raven flinched at his tone and was suddenly reminded of the no of times she had snapped at him._ What is wrong with me? Why am I so bothered about Green boy nowadays? _

Cursing under her breath again, she moved ahead. The sooner they found that damn gun the better. But she couldn't shake the thoughts of Beastboy from her mind and suddenly her heart started beating faster. She frowned, denying the long tendrils of heat that were licking the walls of her heart, that were telling her that she no more looked upon Beastboy as a friend.

She stumbled suddenly but held on to the shelf for support. Looking down, she saw the gun that they had taken from control freak. _That was quick_ she thought. She hadn't expected to find it so easily or so soon. She picked it up and tucked it in her belt.

"Beastboy" she called out as she made her way to the edge of the aisle. "I found it."

"Coming" he answered.

Within a few seconds he was standing in front of her. "You sure that's the one?" he asked holding out his hand for it. Raven was glad to hear his voice: it sounded cheery once more. She gave it to him and he examined it. "Yep! That's it" he said, handing it back and they both moved towards doors of the Weaponery.

They were out soon and within 5 minutes back in the living room. Once up there, Raven called Robin and told him they had found the blast-gun. Then she settled down on the sofa, Black Knight's Fortress in her hands. Beastboy switched on the TV and was blasting away bad guys on the TV screen._ He and his Xbox _raven thought looking at him. They didn't realize how time passed but within an hour the rest of the titans were back.

"I hate that guy" cyborg said, sinking into and armchair.

"He was just giggling like a lunatic when we questioned him" Robin explained "didn't say a word ……seemed to be enjoying his little joke"

"I didn't see anything funny" Starfire said angrily. "I didn't sleep at all last night"

Robin laughed at this "I think Starfire broke his nose" he got serious again "where is that cursed gun?"

"With Raven" Beastboy answered. He was standing next to her and he slipped his arm around her waist for a second, pulling out the gun. Raven felt the heat rise up to her cheeks. She knew it was unintentional but couldn't help flush at his touch. Luckily everyone was too busy over the gun and she went unnoticed. She vaguely heard Robin say something about pulling the gun apart to examine it with Cyborg. Starfire was going to go back to bed to catch up some lost sleep. Raven turned abruptly and phased herself into her room using her powers. She flopped onto the bed, trying to work out her feelings._ This is no good, Raven._ She told herself. Just 2 years ago she wouldn't even have noticed if Beastboy had touched her or pulled her or anything. Now she was aware of his every move and she felt scared. If Beastboy knew how self-conscious she had become around him, what would he say?


	4. feelings

**once again:**

hiya, all you titans-crazy guys out there. there will be a slight change in text style chapter onwards. i have put all the thoughts in bold italics instead of simply italics. and another thing. in chapter 2, insomniac, you must be wondering how the sudden change in perpectives emerged. well...("he he" rubs back of neck, very much like beastboy, though not half that cute)...that was a mistake. there were supposed to be asterixs between each. i have done this chapter that way.

oh, and by the way, reviewers, your word are tastier and more motivating than chocolate so you now what to do if you like the story and want me to continue...(winks) same goes for the flames too. i wont be offended but will work harder to improve :)

**disclaimer**: do not own them, dont think ever will

**Chapter 4: feelings **

Beastboy was in his room. The rest of the day had passed rather uneventfully. (The titans decided that they had more pressing matters to worry about than Silkie so they ignored its latest attempt to prove itself capable of eating anything it can see, in this case the new Xbox). Now that everyone had retired into their respective rooms, not counting Robin's "absentminded" visit to Star's, Beastboy was finally alone again. He was seated on his bed, slightly apprehensive about turning in. he couldn't easily forget last night…and Raven.

_Raven._ He liked the way her name sounded. So she was prone to violent tempers and was likely to erase a guy's address from the face of the earth. _**Big deal……..she's still a** **titan and a………**_Beastboy's thoughts got muddled. What was Raven to him? A friend? That was, at least, what he had felt until a few years ago. He didn't know exactly when, but he had started paying more attention to her. Trying his best to make her laugh, to get a smile out of her, anything. She most usually cut him off rudely but Beastboy didn't mind. Well he did, but not so much that he ever took it to heart. He knew why she was like that but that didn't stop him from trying to get her involved in everything the rest of them did. He sighed suddenly. Earlier that day, when the rest of the titans had returned from their visit to Control Freak, and Robin had asked for the Gun and he had pulled it out from Raven's belt, she had stiffened up. None of the others had noticed and Raven had thought that _he_ hadn't either, but he had. He had caught the look on her face and the message that her subtle body language revealed though he had acted like nothing had happened._ **So many years under one roof as friends and she still considers me as an immature imbecile unworthy of her attention**._ Beastboy sighed again. He was too weary and confused to make out exactly what he felt for her. He knew she liked him, she cared for him, just like how she did for the other titans. He knew he should be happy that he had a caring friend in Raven. But from where were the voices that whispered to him untiringly. The voices that said he didn't want the kind of love she showed the others, he wanted more.

Elsewhere, the musings of a freak:

_**Smart little titans, oh soooo smart! Lock up the master controller and think they can get away with it?**_

He was a balding, plump man with orangish hair and a sense of style that would have suited a museum. Though he looked kind of stupid, people who knew him knew otherwise. He was pacing up and down a medium sized room with a bare bed, bench and basic toilette facilities, all made up of one hundred percent non-conducting, electrically neutral plastic.

Though he was obviously imprisoned, he didn't seem to be feeling all that bad.

_**I may be as harmless as a baby in diapers right now but I can be as troublesome. You watch my dearies; this is just the beginning of your NIGHT-MARES.!**_

_A few hours later………._

The clock on her wall read 1:05 am. **_Great!_** She thought looking away from the clock. it must have been the 50th time she was checking time. She felt tired, weary worn out but couldn't take refuge in sleep for it seemed to have deserted her. She had dozed fitfully for 2 hours and then was woken by a dream. She remembered it vividly:

_She was wearing the most beautiful dress ever. It was a rich grayish-silver material and had little embroidered roses that went around the hem. It was a sleeveless one with just 2 thin, elegant straps that held to hold it in place. Raven could hardly recognize herself in it. Its wide neck revealed more of her perfect cleavage then she had ever dared to. She was standing on the roof of the titans' tower, leaning against the wall with a glass in her hand. She seemed to be waiting for someone, someone for whom she cared a lot……._

Raven shook herself. Just the idea of her wearing a dress like that made her feel like she needed a long due medical checkup. But the dream didn't just display Raven wearing a date-gown. She remembered how she had felt, standing there against the wall, and every time she recalled, little waves of panic mixed with an emotion she couldn't decipher ran the lent of her body. She had felt _disappointed_, disappointed that a certain green changeling wasn't there to see her when she looked so beautiful. Raven shook her head. **_As if that is going to help shake the thought away_**, she got up suddenly.**_ What I need is a good cup of tea. I am feeling all these emotions I have never felt before because of Control Freak. He has messed up our thoughts and our sleep and once Cyborg finds out about that gun, we'll be back to normal._** She moved towards the door. **_He better hurry because I'm not enjoying this. _**Even as she closed the door behind her and made her way to the kitchen, she knew she was doing what only Raven could do: lie so well.

**author's note:**

**i know this chapter was more thought less action but the next chapter will make up for that.**

**moonlitpride**


	5. midnight encounters

author's note:

hiya all of you! well here is the 5th chapter. i have made this one a little long. thanks to all those people who take time to review. keep reviewing and i'll keep writing. the lyrics in this chapter are from _atomic kitten_'s Eternal flame and they dont belong to me. well, read and enjoy!

**disclaimer:** i dont own the teen titans.

**Chapter 5: midnight encounters**

_In the kitchen:_

**_Speak of the devil….._**Raven was peeping into the kitchen. She hadn't stepped in yet and was deciding whether or not to do so. Beastboy was there. He was sitting at the table drinking something. **_Must be something to do with tofu._ **Just as she decided to turn away, Beastboy called out to her.

"Hey, Raven!"

Suppressing a groan, Raven stepped in and walked up to the table. Now that she was here, she might as well have her cup of tea.

"Hello Beastboy"

"Couldn't sleep, huh? Me too" Beastboy stretched in the chair. He looked tired and Raven knew how he was feeling. People usually thought they could do without sleep but the titans knew now how one felt when you want to sleep but cant.

"Whats that you are having?" Raven wasn't really interested in knowing but she didn't want him to think that she was uncomfortable around him or any such thing.

"Orange juice, it's said to help one sleep" Beastboy said flashing his trademark grin, fang and all.

"Who told you that" Raven asked, now genuinely curious. She had her cup of tea and pulled out a chair for her.

"Read it somewhere" he drained the rest of the glass in one gulp and Raven frowned at him, suddenly suspicious.

"Beastboy, whats in that glass?"

"Orange juice"

"Really?" Raven raised one eyebrow "let me see"

"What!? You don't trust me?" Beastboy assumed a surprised and hurt tone but his eyes were twinkling.

"No, I don't. Now give that here." Raven held out her hand, frowning even more. But Beastboy, who was feigning deafness, clutched at his heart and made a show of shaking his head sadly.

"My friend, whom I have known for such a long time and for whom I have nearly died at least a hundred times, for whom I would do anything, who has fought beside me countless times, doesn't trust me over a small thing like orange juice!" Beastboy threw his hands up in the air, as one does while praying to the skies. "What injustice is this? What did I do to deserve this……?''

"Cut it out Beastboy" Raven tone was annoyed but she couldn't help smiling ever so slightly at his idiotic behavior. Beastboy, however, was not going to let it down so soon.

"……today is the day when friendship and trust have been put to shame, today, I, Beastboy, a titan as noble as any, was accused of………" Raven didn't bother to use words any more. She didn't even pause to ask herself why she was so intent on knowing the contents of the glass.

"Azarath metrion zinthos!" the glass slipped out of Beastboy's grip and Raven caught it smartly. She brought it up to her nose and gave it one quick wary sniff. The smell of fresh oranges wafted up into her nose. She put the glass down and picked up her cup of tea hurriedly.

**_What did you expect to find, little miss intuition?_** She could almost hear the wide grin that would surely be on his face. She sipped her tea and gasped: it was still very hot.

"Well? What was it? Gin, toddy? Or maybe some high concentration alcohol...wait! I know! It must be poison…."

Raven looked up, almost painfully. She didn't know whether to laugh or to continue being annoyed with him. Since she was much more used to the latter, she said " its just a smell, doesn't prove anything."

But Beastboy was still grinning at her and she couldn't help notice the way his green eyes sparkled: like the evening sea when the sun's rays touched the water…..**_what the hell Raven, since when have you been his sun?_** Even as she thought this, she blushed. Feeling the heat rise up to her cheeks, she got up abruptly and turned away, towards the door, her hood automatically resuming its place. She heard a chair move and understood that Beastboy had stood up too.

"Raven!" his tone was one of surprise and bewilderment " there's nothing wrong about being wrong now and then……I didn't mean to get you mad at me…or...or anything" he finished of hopelessly.

Raven didn't move. She didn't know what to say. How could she tell him that it was nothing he did, that it just was her stupid thought?**_ Say something, you fool! Don't stand there acting as if you have forgotten how to talk._** She turned to face him, pulling down her hood. Beastboy was looking at her, worried and slightly annoyed. Raven was suddenly apprehensive.

"It's not that." She mumbled "I'm just tired and I suddenly…wondered for how long we are going to have to struggle to go to sleep" it was one BIG lie and Raven was surprised at how convincing she sounded.

"Oh" Beastboy relaxed and it showed in his face. He slumped down into the chair. Raven stood there uncertainly. She suddenly faked a huge yawn.**_ Keep this up and Warner Bros. will be knocking at the door…_** "Well, goodnight then. Maybe if you counted sheep or something you could fall asleep" Beastboy snorted, shaking his head.

"Night Rae." he smiled at her "I'll just sit for a few more minutes and then be off" Raven nodded and teleported to her room.

Once within the confines of her walls, she pulled of her cape and threw it onto a chair. She looked at the bed and gritted her teeth. It looked so inviting but she knew she wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon. She turned on the small music system that Cyborg had gifted her on her 18th birthday. She had pretended to not be all that thrilled but it was one of the items that she treasured. Nothing apart from meditation relaxed her as well as music did.

_Close you eyes_

_Give me your hand, darlin'_

_Do you feel my heart beating?_

_Do you understand?_

_Do you feel the same?_

_Am I only dreaming?_

_Is this burnin' an eternal flame?_

Raven closed her eyes. She didn't fancy_ Atomic Kitten_ all that much but she loved this song. Just as she was beginning to relax, there was a knock on her door.

"What?" she asked, without opening. She quickly put off the song.

"Raven, it's me, Beastboy" behind the door, Raven groaned. She moved to the door and opened it a crack

"Yes?"

Beastboy held out a cup. "You forgot your tea." He was beaming at her.

Raven opened the door wider and looked at him. He was holding the same cup from which she had taken a few sips earlier. "That would have gone cold, Beastboy" Raven's voice wasn't all that harsh when she said this.**_ He came all this way to get you your tea…."_**

"I know that. It was ice cold" Beastboy smiled at her, not his usual foolish smile but a nice proper one that made him look grown up all of a sudden. "But this is not that same tea. I prepared this fresh"

Raven was taken aback. He had prepared tea for her in the middle of the night. She was touched in an odd way. "You needn't have……" she took the cup from him avoiding his eyes.

"No probs. It was because of me that you left yours on the table. I know how much you like your tea." He was leaning against the wall as he spoke and he smiled widely at her.

"Go ahead, see if you like it"

Not knowing really what to say and remembering her dream again, Raven took the chance to look down. Anywhere. She could hardly look into his eyes without feeling all warm and weird now. She tasted the tea. It was just the right heat and made perfectly.

"It's good" she said at last.

"Glad you liked it" he said, with a mock bow. "Fine then, wont keep you any longer. Its nice drinking tea and listening to music" Raven choked on the tea. She continued coughing and suddenly felt warm fingers take the cup of tea from her, brushing against her hand. Beastboy patted her on her back and soon she wasn't coughing. He handed the cup back to her.

"Thanks" she muttered catching his eye for a second. He didn't reply but just kept looking at her. Raven realized that she wasn't cloaked and cursed herself for her absentmindedness. Her leotard wasn't any better than a swimsuit without the cloak. Even as she felt her cheeks grow warm again, the cloak returned and wrapped itself around her. Beastboy started at this and grinned at her.

"Don't be too happy!" she snapped, frowning again. That smirk on his face was _so_ like Beastboy but she could see that he had liked what he had seen.

"Fine, fine" Beastboy held up his hands and stepped back, grinning all the time. She slammed the door in his face.

"Goodnight" she heard him say loudly and cheerfully and then she heard him walking away from her door.**_ Stupid Beastboy. _**Raven sat on her bed and automatically sipped her tea. Than she realized who had made it and cursed again, though she didn't put the cup away. Even as she sat there feeling slightly annoyed, her lips curled into a small smile.

author's note:

well? how was it? keep reviewing people and tell me where and how i should improve, new ideas.anything. next chapter coming up soon:) oh! by the way, almost forgot to tell you. i'm going to have a cliffhanger soon ( grins evilly) so be good and ...you know what to do to get me ti write nice, juicy chapters...


	6. dreams and nightmares2

**Chapter 6: **

**Author's note:**

**If you ask me what I'm doing, I would say grinning. Yes, that's right. Grinning like a maniac. What I mean is, thanks again for the reviews, you guys are great!**

**About the cliffhanger warning, well, my bad El Queso de Malicioso. (Whew, big name! but a nice one).My bad. But actually, I just wrote that cos I really wasn't intending on a cliffhanger and I wanted more reviews. (Unabashedly grins). thanks again for constantly reviewing, you too J.Rain, what would i do without you guys?**

**sorry about the terrible delay in updating, my server was down like for a week. anyway, heres the chapter and to make up, chapter 7 is going to be up real soon.**

**Well, here goes!**

**Chapter 6: dreams and nightmares 2**

Beastboy was doing what he had been doing the night before: staring at the ceiling and counting imaginary stars. **_This way, I'm going to fall in love with you soon._** He thought, looking at the ceiling. Then he sighed.**_ Sooner than I'll be able to admit it to Raven anyway._** He rubbed his eyes and groaned when he realized what he had just thought. **_Great! Now I'm saying I love her._**

"**_Maybe you do" _**said a small voice within him. Beastboy snorted.**_ Yeah right. Even if I do, what chance have I got?_**

"**_Why not?" _**The voice now sounded indignant. **_Why not? WHY NOT!!? Because I'm Beastboy and she's Raven, I'm green and she's beautiful and she hates me._**

"**_Oh rot!" _**the voice was nearly inaudible now but Beastboy knew that it wasn't the truth. The whole truth, anyway. Raven may get mad at him, may not tolerate his jokes and may find him a pain in the ass but she cared for him and definitely did not HATE him.**_ Yeah, tell her what you feel and she really will hate you_** Beastboy thought, not seeing how Raven could ever feel anything for him other than brotherly love. He stared at the ceiling a little more and then got of the bed.

_**That's it! I'm done with regarding the ceiling like it is tofu. I'm outta here, bub!**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Raven was standing by her windowsill, looking gloomily at a sleeping jump city. **_Lucky people _**she thought leaning her head against the cool glass pane. It seemed an age had passed by since the time when Beastboy had brought her a cup of tea in the dead of the night when actually it had been only the previous night. The next day had gone by without any major developments. Beastboy and Robin had gone to visit Control Freak and Starfire had gone to the mall to buy provisions. Cyborg had been buried in the lab the whole day, studying the gun. Raven had, as usual, curled up on the sofa with a book but she had hardly read anything.

Jump city knew that being a titan wasn't easy, wasn't always fun and that the unwritten contract to fight all bad that the titans had signed did not come with an insurance policy. But they didn't know half the truth. They didn't know how responsibilities have to be born ungrudgingly so that they don't become burdens. When the first set of rumors of the Robin-Starfire romance spread in Jump city, the tabloids were full of supposedly first hand evidence of how the titans enjoyed a normal life in spite of the crime-fighting schedule and the net was full of "authentic" pictures and stories. Of course, the titans knew better than to take the public response too seriously. (Though, Cyborg with Raven's help did a fine job of crashing the net for a month. Needless to say, the pictures and stories disappeared mysteriously once the net was back in working order!)

The point was that, to the rest of the world, the titans had nothing more important on their minds other than fighting bad guys, and did nothing more than eating, training, playing and fighting with each other.

**_Shows how mistaken people can be. _**Raven sighed, moving away from the window. She yawned and then groaned.**_ Tomorrow I am going to pay little Mr. Freaky a visit and lets see how immune he is to my method of questioning._** She looked at the bed with an expression that a person looking at the inside of a used and not flushed toilet would have. Oh how desperately she wanted to sleep. Nevertheless, she got into bed after a few seconds and lay herself down.**_ How soft the bed feels………._**In five minutes time, Raven was asleep and if she would have known what awaited her in the back of her mind, she _would_ have treated the bed and the whole titan's tower as an used-but-not-flushed toilet.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Robin sighed heavily. He couldn't believe it. He usually slept very lightly, sometimes didn't sleep at all. He could go for days without shutting his eyes. But this had changed over the last year, when he had started 'officially' dating Starfire. He slept more than usual and deeply too. For the first time in his life he had felt content with shutting his eyes and letting darkness and oblivion take over for a few hours. Then ever since he had started sleeping with Starfire, ever since he had started exhausting himself in a way drastically different and much more rewarding than training, Robin had started sleeping the whole night. The effects of deep, peaceful sleep showed in his attitude, which was more relaxed than ever, it showed in his fighting, which had become stronger and more purposeful, and most of all it showed in his will: it had strengthened beyond measure. If Slade crossed his path now, Robin would no more madly rush at him, throwing all caution and better judgment to the winds. He still loathed Slade and would still do everything in his power to get him but his obsession no longer bothered on senselessness. And when Robin was cool and composed, yet determined, there wasn't a deadlier enemy. But that very rewarding sleep had now become his worst curse in just 3 days time: no matter what he did, how hard he trained, how passionately he made love to Starfire, Robin couldn't sleep to save his life. And he so badly wanted to. He felt a tiredness he didn't know existed. He wanted to…no, needed to sleep but couldn't. So Robin did what he hadn't done for nearly a year: he opened the training room at 3 in the morning.

…….and he jumped. Yes, you heard right. Robin jumped; nearly hit his head in fact, because there, in the centre of the room, was a huge green lion.

"Beastboy? What are you doing up at this time?" Robin asked as he stepped into the room. He knew the answer but he also knew Beastboy was the last person who would willingly get up and get going with Training.

Beastboy changed back into himself and gave Robin an abashed grin. "Dude, I could ask you the same question"

"Uh…right." Robin rubbed the back of his neck. "Couldn't sleep"

"Well, duh! Me too. So I thought I should do something else…….." Beastboy grin faded slightly. "But I think I've been here long enough….so….g'night…." Beastboy dashed past Robin and then rebounded back by his side for Robin had stayed him by hooking his cane into Beastboy's dress.

"Wait right there, _dude!_ What is the matter, you look all flustered?" Robin sharp mind had taken in everything from Beastboy's badly hidden confusion, his disheveled appearance and the absence of his trademark grin. Yeah, he had grinned but that wasn't his usual one.

"Nothing" Beastboy's lie could be seen easily by his drooping ears. But Robin wasn't convinced and he glared at Beastboy until he sighed.

"Yeah, so I'm not exactly feeling high and mighty now" Beastboy muttered, looking away

"I can see that. Why don't you tell me whats troubling you?" Robin asked, laying a hand on the changeling's shoulder which came up to his own now. Beastboy shrugged Robin's hand off.

"Beastboy?" Robin tone was annoyed now.

"Listen, just drop it, okay. I'm going to bed" Beastboy sounded weary and slouched off towards the door. Robin looked at him, and frowned at his uncharacteristic behaviour.

"There are sleeping pills in the med.-cabinet." He called just as Beastboy's back disappeared round the door. Robin sighed. He would have gone after Beastboy but he himself was so tired and pissed off that he couldn't even come up with a reason for Beastboy's behaviour. He knew it wasn't just because of lack of sleep. Beastboy just looked like he was very confused and unhappy. **_Damn that fucking Control Freak _**he thought.

Robin sighed again. Well, now that he was here, he may as well begin.

He placed himself in the centre of the room, holding his trademark cane in his hands. He took one small, slow step backwards and two fast ones forward, slashing at invincible enemies. Even as he jumped about, twirling the cane, he imagined he was smashing Control Freak's face into pulp……

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

_It was the pleasantest of nights and the moon shone seductively through the curtains in Raven's room. The lights were off and in the soft glow of the moon light, one could see the pale Goth sleeping peacefully on her bed. She wasn't wearing a leotard this time but was in a short cotton T- shirt that came just below her breasts, exposing her flat, slim waist. Below, she wore loose pajamas. _

Raven twitched ever so slightly in her bed.

_The door to Raven's room creaked open and a shadow stepped in quietly and quickly. The door closed softly, as if it had closed of its own accord. The person stepped into the low light for a second and a flash of green was visible. He knelt in the shadows beside Raven's bed. If only he moved slightly forward, his face could be seen. He watched the sleeping Raven for a few seconds before a cautious hand was extended. It paused over the edge of her bed and then moved forward until it stopped right over her stomach. _

She turned suddenly and clutched her pillow reflexively, but Raven was still deeply, if a little uneasily, in sleep. Her brows were gently furrowed.

_The green hand dipped and rested on her stomach. Raven turned her head but did not wake up. Slowly, gently, the hand moved over her tummy. With a sudden movement Raven got up and off the bed, clutching the green hand in hers, and rolled over. There was a small gasp of surprise, a soft thud and then silence. Raven was looking into deep green eyes that were twinkling mischievously. Beastboy's eyes._

Raven clutched the pillow harder. A small bead of sweat ran down her neck.

_Raven was on top of Beastboy, holding his hands down. She was glaring at him but didn't seem to be too angry._

"_Don't ever do that" she breathed into his ear. He chuckled softly._

"_Why? Didn't you like it?" Beastboy's voice was low._

Raven breathing become strained and beads of sweat were now running down her brows. Her body tensed.

_Beastboy rolled over suddenly so that Raven was now beneath him. He lowered his head and blew into her ear so that she wriggled a bit. _

"_You didn't answer." Beastboy brushed his lips across her jaw line so that she inhaled sharply. "Did you like it?" His voice was still low but husky. Raven didn't reply. Beastboy moved his lips down her neck and she arched her neck slightly._

"_Well?"_

"_Y……."_

Raven got up then, panting like she had just run a 100 mile race. Her eyes were wide with shock and she was sweating profusely. She had had more than her fair share of nightmares, especially when Trigon had been at large but this was completely new to her. One would ask what was scary about such a dream. Many would call it a pleasantly erotic one. But it was frightening to Raven. The dream itself wasn't. What was scary was that she didn't know how to react to it. In her dream, she had enjoyed Beastboy's closeness, his touch, the intimacy. **_No! It's just a dream._** But this time she couldn't do it. She couldn't convince herself that how she felt was a mere result of Control Freak's attack. Raven was sitting up in her bed. Her breathing had slowed down but she wasn't, even in the least, calm. Unconsciously she ran a hand across her stomach and felt the smooth cloth of her leotard. **_It had seemed so real…..I can still feel his ……._**

Raven got off her bed, pulling her cloak from the stand beside her bed. She draped it around her and put on her boots. She could never again try to sleep in peace, especially today. **_And what does one do when one can't sleep? Eat? That would be what beastb……no, no you must not think about him!_**

Raven slipped out of her room and made her way to the ground floor. She had considered meditating but hadn't been able to concentrate at all. Maybe if she got herself completely exhausted and tired she would be able to sleep. And what better place to do that than the Training Room?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Robin had just executed a neat triple kick when the Training Room doors flew open. He stared at the cloaked figure that was standing at the door with a similar look of surprise on the face. Robin groaned. _What_ was happening to his team? Could Control Freak have so much power over them that Raven, _Raven_ came to the training room in the middle of the night? **_I can see that she couldn't sleep at all either_**

They stared at each other for a few seconds and then:

"Hello Robin" she said. "Didn't mean to interrupt you or anything." She turned to leave.

"Raven, Wait!" Robin minimized his cane as he walked up to her. "Are you alright?" he asked looking at her very pale face. She lowered her eyes.

"Cant sleep, you know"

"But there's something else, right?" he asked, his eyes never leaving her face. **_How many people am I going to ask this question to before the night's over?_**

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Raven?"

Raven drew in a deep, calming breath. She never had been able to hide anything from Robin all that well, especially when he asked her in that knowing way.

"I've just been having…having bad dreams" Raven said finally, not meeting Robin's eyes and cursing her decision to come down there.

"Dreams? Raven, what is it about?" Robin sounded panicky now. "Is it Trigon again? I thought we got the guy for good…….or…or is it Sla….."

"Robin, Robin, shhh! You'll wake up the whole town. It's nothing to do with either of them…..its just…..different" Raven paled and Robin must have obviously mistaken this for grief.

"Don't worry, we'll do something. Just tell me what it is. Is…is it something that's going to happen or…or _is_ happening that…that you saw."

Raven groaned. _How_ could she tell him what it was?**_ And the guy's drawing all the wrong conclusions._**

"No Robin, it has nothing to do with anything that may happen…..or anything bad…."

"But you said you were having _bad_ dreams, Raven. If it has nothing to do with your powers or bad guys...or whatever, why don't you tell me?" Robin looked confused and slightly exasperated now and Raven didn't know what she was supposed to tell him. _Damn her big mouth!_

"It's nothing to worry about Robin."

"Then why do you look worried" Robin now sounded cross.

"Forget it. It's just a stupid dream…..I'll be going then" she was about to phase herself out of there when Robin caught her hand.

"I'm sorry, Raven. We're all stressed out and I didn't mean to sound impatient or anything." He gave her a small smile. "You know you can tell me anything"

Raven hesitated. That was the whole problem. Ever since she had helped him out with Starfire, Robin and Raven had grown closer. Among the titans, he was the only one who had spent much of his time in denial, behind closed doors, just like Raven had. Just like she did, even now, to a certain extent.

"It's just…a….a personal dream….and…" Raven blushed and Robin's expression cleared.

"Should've known" he said, smiling crookedly.

"Well, you know now" Raven was still angry at herself for blushing and she was just about to say 'bye' when, for the second time, Robin stopped her by talking.

"So what was it about?" he asked, grinning and crossing his arms across his chest. He was, obviously, convinced that it could be nothing serious or she would have told him by then.

"None of your business" she replied curtly

"Oooooooooh! Looks who's angry." Robin smirked at her annoyed expression. "Maybe I should ask Starfire to have a little Girl-talk with you."

"No! I mean…no thanks…I can manage fine by myself, no offence. No need to wake up Starfire." When he continued looking so smug, Raven snapped and decided to give him a dose of his own medicine. She put on a sugary tone and said "After all, she would be _so_ tired after such an _exhausting_ night spent in……."

"That's enough now" Robin said, turning red

"……such a lovely, soft bed with……."

"Raven!"

"………..Boy Dunder…..I mean, Boy Won….."

"Fine, fine! Wont ask nothing no more….." Robin was looking so flustered that Raven grinned at him.

"Good." She said, pleased with herself and then her smile became more serious as she said "thanks anyway, Robin. I'm fine, don't worry."

Robin smiled back at her, looking a little sad as if he had felt that by now he had earned her trust but actually hadn't.

"Anytime Raven. You, and the others, you guys are the only family I have…..and I'm always here if you ever need anything." His tone was so gentle that Raven felt tears sting at her eyes and she turned her back to him immediately.

"Thank you" she said floating towards the door, all the grin had gone out of her voice.

"It's about Beastboy, isn't it?" Raven paused, shocked to the core, at the door. Surely she couldn't have been _that_ obvious. Her hood was back on her head as she turned to face him.

"No" she said, her practiced voice as emotionless as the cold walls of the Training room. Robin raised an eyebrow at her but she continued as if she hadn't seen it. "It's nothing to do with Beastboy Robin, and anyway, how can you be so sure?"

"Liar." His tone wasn't accusatory, just amused. "And about being sure, one doesn't need to be a psychic to see how you feel about him."

Raven stiffened. So he had known all along.**_ Damn his bloody intuition_**! Then she relaxed and without saying another word, exited.

She was taking her own sweet time to go up to her room as she dreaded going back and didn't even want to think about _how_ Robin had known or how he felt about it. **_Maybe he's laughing his ass out_**. But she knew that wasn't what Robin would do. He would be using that over-blown brain of his to think up ways to get her to admit her feelings for Beastboy, whatever they were. Before she knew it, Raven was standing in front of her door. With a resigned look, she opened it and got in. her titan-communicator was beeping softly and she flipped it open. There was a message in it:

_My lips are sealed_

_Robin_

Raven stared at the message blankly for a whole minute before putting it away. Oh Robin wouldn't tell but she knew that he wasn't going to let the subject rest. She sighed lightly.**_ What will come will come..._**Levitating herself, she crossed her legs in the air and started chanting.

"_Azarath Metrion Zinthos………Azarath Metrion Zinthos……….Azarath..."_

_**author's note:**_

_**well? how was it? please, please do review**_

_**till then,**_

_**moonlitpride**_


	7. getting on not so well, yet

okay. i know i owe you guys one big apology but lets do it this way: story first, sorry later.

enjoy - moonlitpride

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_**Chapter 7:**_

Raven kept her promise the next day: she paid Control Freak a "visit" and returned looking very pleased with herself. It helped a lot that Control Freak now resembled a duck with its tail feathers pulled out. But, of course, she didn't tell so to the others. She dropped herself into the armchair. The Tower looked empty.

_CRASH!_

**_Which shows how deceiving 'looks' can be_ **she thought, getting up to examine the source of the noise. Even before she stepped into the kitchen, she knew who it would be. Since when had she got lucky, anyway.

"Oh, hi Raven!" Beastboy grinned at her from the sink. He was washing the breakfast plates. A cracked plate lay near his feet.

"Where are the others?" she asked ignoring his greeting and using her powers to lift the cracked pieces and dump them in the trash. Was it her imagination or did his grin fade ever so slightly?

"Cyborg has got the gun nearly figured out, but he's thinks he's missing a small part. They all went to search different places, you know, where we all fought him" Beastboy continued scrubbing as he spoke.

"Oh." **_move out NOW Raven, move out!_** But she stepped in. she wasn't going to go hungry just to avoid Beastboy. **_Fine excuse, that one….._**

"So, your turn to do all the stuff, huh?" she asked, attempting at a decent conversation as she helped herself to an apple.

"Actually, no." Beastboy turned to look at her. The dishes were done and he wiped his hands on the apron he was wearing. Raven remembered where those long fingers had been last night, in her dream, and turned her head so he wouldn't see the faint blush that was creeping up her neck. Beastboy didn't seem to have noticed anything and he continued talking, leaning himself against the sink. "It's actually your turn but since you were out and I didn't have anything else to do, I thought I would do it for you" he flashed her a wide grin.

Raven was speechless. Beastboy had actually done the dishes for _her?_ She was definitely blushing now. **_And he's the one who doesn't even clear up his plate after he's finished eating._**

"You needn't have" she managed. "I am perfectly capable of doing them myself"

"Aw…come on! You wouldn't want to hurt your pretty fingers scrubbing dishes, now would you?" Raven choked on her apple. Since when had he learnt to talk like that? She picked up one of the apples lying in the basket and threw it at him. He dodged it and resumed his post at the sink. **_He does have a thing for leaning against surfaces _**she thought, eyeing his rather tall frame. The next second, she groaned. **_Get a grip, Raven!_**

"So, what did Fuc….I mean, Freak say?" he asked after a pause. Raven swallowed the last bite of apple and threw the core away. It landed neatly in the trash can.

"He didn't say anything; I didn't give him the chance to"

"Thought so" Beastboy said, straitening up. "What are you going to do now?"

"Read something, what else?" Raven wasn't looking at him. Because every time she did, it became more and more difficult to look else where. What would he think is she kept gawping at him like an idiot?

Beastboy groaned. "Raven, couldn't you do something else for a change?"

"No"

"X-box is really cool, you should try….." Raven yawned and Beastboy changed tracks immediately. "……or there's the new recipe that Starfire….Uh…never mind that……"

"No."

"You could play stinkball….."

"I could bury you ten feet below the earth……."

"..Maybe not……we could go shopping…." Raven got off the chair she was sitting on. Beastboy smacked his head suddenly. "Dude, I got it! We could go to Crossword's"

Raven stared at him. "What?"

"Crossword's. You know, biggest book place there is here..."

"I know what it is…."

"Yeah, so let's go there. Come on, you couldn't possibly refuse a trip to a bookstore now, could you?"

"Uh……"Raven was thinking hard. Agreeing would mean more uncomfortable time with Beastboy but she _had_ been planning a visit anyway. There were these new books she wanted to check out…….

"Well?" Beastboy eyes had gone big and beseeching.

"I don't know……" before she could complete the sentence, Beastboy turned into the cute little kitten he always resorted to when he wanted his way. The 'kitten' was staring at her out of big, green watery eyes.

"Fine, just change back." Raven snapped but she wasn't really angry or annoyed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

In 5 minutes time they were on their way to the bookstore. Raven flew and Beastboy morphed into a bird. He took off after her and soon they had a friendly competition. Raven landed first and Beastboy, the next instance, landed beside her. He couldn't believe that she had agreed to come. He didn't know what he would gain in accompanying her but just being with her was good.

"Here we are" he said, morphing back

"Wouldn't have noticed myself" her tone was dripping with sarcasm but he pretended not to notice. He held the door open for her and she got in, without thanking him. But Beastboy grinned. He remembered the last time when he had held the door for her: she had phased right in through the wall. Raven didn't need doors. But she hadn't done that this time. She had, at least, accepted his gesture.

The moment Raven stepped in, she seemed to cheer up and he noticed this. The guy in charge at the desk did not move a muscle. Obviously, Raven of the Titans was a common sight around here. Beastboy followed her, lost in a bookstore. The shop was huge with rows and rows of books. Raven made a beeline for the row marked 'Mystery, magic'.

"Can I help?" he asked her, thinking he had kept his mouth shut long enough.

"Uh….yeah. Look for a book called _Inkspell_." He hadn't expected her to answer but feeling weirdly elated, he moved across the bookshelf, looking for the book. He seemed to be in luck for he found the book almost immediately.

"I've found it!" he cried, holding up the book and dancing all over the place. Raven turned to face him and maybe because of his sudden outburst, she dropped something. Looking flustered, she stepped over the book she dropped, walked up to him and took the book from him, as if to examine it.

"Yep, that's the one." She said, not meeting his eye. She looked oddly guilty about something. "Thanks Beastboy."

"Anytime Raven" Beastboy beamed at her. **_Brownie points for me. Go Beastboy, go Beastboy…!_**

Raven clutched the book in her arms and walked up to another shelf. "There's one more book I want here" she said, not turning to look at him or bothering to wait for him.

"Coming" he called, bending to tie his shoe lace. Even as he bent, he saw the book she had dropped. He finished doing his lace and walked up to the book, meaning to return it to the shelf. When he saw the book she had dropped, he paused. Written in beautiful gold letters was the name _Inkspell_. The same book he had………………………and then it dawned on him. She had found the book before him and she hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings, so she had dropped it and taken the one he had found.

Beastboy didn't say anything as he bent to pick the book and as he returned it to its place. Something small and very very light was growing inside him. He felt……..he didn't know how he felt.**_ Who would've thought Raven would do something like that. Doesn't mean she likes me or anything, of course……_**

"**_Oh yeah?" _**Beastboy groaned. It was the same voice from yesterday. Ignoring it, he hurried to Raven's side before she started wondering.

"So, got the book?" he asked, scanning the shelf. He wasn't all that interested in the stupid _book_ of course. He was interested in the person interested in the book………

"Yea, I'm searching for something else, you know, to keep me busy over the weekend." Raven said, barely looking at him. Beastboy couldn't help grin at how uncomfortable she still was after the little _Inkspell_ incident. Unfortunately, she caught this grin.

"What are you grinning at?"

"You"

"Excuse me?" Raven eyebrows had shot up

"Well you asked…….." Beastboy grinned even more as he spoke. He knew it drove her mad and right now he was feeling very bold. "I was grinning at you"

"And whats that supposed to mean?" Raven growled

"You are just so predictable"

"And you are Mr. enigmatic, right" Raven moved towards the billing counter as she spoke and Beastboy followed, trying to think of something smart to counter her. He didn't come up with anything that didn't involve getting her angry and consequently ending himself up in the hospital so he remained silent as he watched her bill the books. The guy at the counter, a young, blond fellow, enthusiastically chatted away as he got ready the bill.

You are our _most_ special customer and I am honored to be able to be of help to such a beautiful, charismatic and brave…..

"Yeah…..thank you Mr.….."

"Anytime, Raven. You're our regular costumer and the only one who is a superhero. In fact, no other titan has ever stepped in here…….." He handed over the packet of books.

"Hey!" Beastboy said indignantly. "What do I look like? A walking tree?"

"Well, what I meant was, no one apart this charming lady here……"

"Lay of the 'charming' stuff……."

"Beastboy, that's enough." Raven checked the book packet once more and caught Beastboy's arm "Thank you Nob…" she dragged him with her out of the door, ignoring the protests which he issued in between abusing Nob. Once out of the shop, she let go of him.

"Do you _have_ to kick up a fuss where ever you go?"

"The guy was hitting on you…….."

"Beastboy, he wasn't really…………. most of them do anyway….you cant jump down their throats for that!" Raven raised herself in the air.

"He was literally….."

"BEASTBOY! That's enough. They do it all the time, you know that. It's not like you've never known the down points of being a titan!" Raven frowned at him, hovering above his head.

"Fine. Wont say nothing, even if….." Beastboy morphed into a bird and followed her into the air.

They flew in silence all the way back to the tower. Once there, Raven immediately settled into her favorite corner of the sofa and opened _Inkspell_. Beastboy set about connecting the Xbox but he didn't really want to play. It was the best excuse he had to stay in the same room. He knew what anyone would say they knew why he was losing sleep over Raven: control freak's blast-effect.

They would say that all that he was feeling for her was the manifestations of the Gun. But Beastboy knew that that wasn't the truth. He had always liked Raven, he had always paid extra attention to her feeling that she needed to get out of her shell, and about 2 years ago onwards he had started slowly getting attracted to her and now he wanted her in ways that he hadn't even known before. Beastboy wasn't new to wanting women. He had grown a lot since Terra. He had overcome his fears, his anger, and his pain, everything with the help of his friends, with the passing of time and with something else. There was a side to Beastboy that the Titans rarely experienced. The side that got depressed, the side that threw all good humor to the winds and went all gloomy. The side that wasn't an innocent boy, but was a dark, powerful yet tired man.

He hadn't really _loved_ Terra, she had been his first crush, his first infatuation, and he had felt so lost when she had first betrayed them and then saved them. Terra wasn't stone anymore. A few years ago, when the titans had made a visit to her stone-form, they had found the place empty. There was a small, exquisite indent in the stone on which she had stood. The plaque that Beastboy had placed at her feet was gone too. The Titans knew that Terra had somehow overcome the effects of the lava, that she was human again. No one else would have been able to make something like that with the stone. They didn't know where she was, how she was and what she was doing but they knew that she was alive and that she would never forget the Titans.

"What's up? Is it not working………?"

Beastboy looked up. Raven had lowered the book and was looking at the controller that he was holding limply in his hands. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts, he had forgotten about the Xbox.

"……uh, nothing really……button got stuck" he grinned. Good thing he knew how to turn on that happy-go-lucky look whenever he wanted to.

"Oh." Raven shrugged and returned to her book. Beastboy, however, didn't look away from her. He had never felt so confused and at a loss for what to do before. Even as he opened his mouth to say something, some conversation starter, when the living room door was flung open and Robin, Starfire and Cyborg marched in looking very victorious.

"BOO-YA!" Cyborg punched the air. "Yea, man. I DID IT! The one and only Cyborg has figured out the………"

"Friend Cyborg found out that the missing part had all along logged onto his…………..well, being magnetic, it had got _attached_ to him and being inbuilt with an anti-detective coding, he hadn't noticed before….."

"HEY!_ I_ want to relive the moment of glory…………"

"Moment of………?"

"ONE of you at a time, please………" Raven said sitting up, frowning.

Starfire looked down, shoulders slumped. Cyborg gave Robin a fleeting look before shrugging and motioning for her to go ahead. She immediately brightened up and continued.

"Well he hadn't noticed it before and after a lot of searches, we found it in the Ball…… (Cyborg nearly fell over at this, glaring at Beastboy who was sniggering)……of the Basket Stadium. Cyborg was bending over and……." Starfire grinned wider as she said this. "……I found it sticking to his backside……"

"Well, now that's the place we should have looked before…….."

"Shut up grass-stain…."

"……..searching the Ball…….." Beastboy morphed into a fly just as Cyborg lunged at him.

"What is wrong with saying 'ball'?" Starfire asked, watching Cyborg run in circles, trying to swat Beastboy.

"Why do I get the impression that I lead a team of baboons and being the leader, I'm head baboon…?" Robin muttered before shouting: "Beastboy, Cyborg, pizza delivered!"

Both of them stopped in their tracks looking expectant. Beastboy morphed back. Robin was frowning at them. Raven sighed.

"Would anyone like to tell me whether I'll be able to sleep tonight in peace?" she asked, looking from Robin to Starfire to Cyborg. Everyone sobered up immediately, all eyes on Cyborg.

"That would depend……." Cyborg opened up the mini-computer on his arm before continuing. "If I am able to process the antidote soon enough…."

"How long will it take?" Starfire asked. Now that she wasn't jumping up and down, the strain was clearly visible on her alien yet familiar face.

"At least 2-3 hours. Once it is ready and in use, it'll take another hour or so to work. If all goes well, Titans' Tower will be filled with Beastboy's snores tonight."

"Awesome!"

"Oh Cyborg" Starfire flung herself at him, drawing him in a choking-tight hug and Beastboy was sure he heard something crack. Cyborg somehow pried her of him and grinned, massaging his metallic chest which had a tiny dent in it.

"Good." Raven picked up her book and returned to it.

"What do you need for completing the anti-blast gun, Cyborg?" Robin ran a hand through his hair looking tired but happy. "Anything we need to get or……or do?"

"no, I've got everything needed. If I need anything I'll say." Cyborg looked at everyone once, smiling. "I'm off, then. Watch out Titans! You're all going to have a Blast of sleep, if I may say so!"

"You the man, Cy!" Beastboy said watching Cyborg go to the door. Cyborg waved over his back and Beastboy let a small, unnoticed sigh escape him. Even if Cyborg could undo the effects of the blast, he knew he wasn't going to get sleep tonight. Besides, patrol duty was his today. It was Robin's idea to have one of them on their special night-patrol watches in the night. If any situation that one of the titans could alone manage arises, then the watch would beep and the titan on duty was to go and investigate.**_ I'm not going to be able to sleep, what with a mind that says something and a heart that says otherwise. I may as well switch on the watch tonight without grudging the possibility of interrupted sleep………..interrupted sleep………_**

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was around 8 in the night when Cyborg at last burst out of his lab holding the anti-blast gun in his hand. He did a little war dance all over the living room, grinning madly.

"So, you did it?" Robin looked up expectantly. He had been fiddling with a bent Birderang and he put it down immediately. Starfire and Raven had gone to the shopping complex to get that week's provisions. Beastboy was, as usual, glued to the T.V.

"Of course I did it! Me the Man, right!?" Cyborg held up the silver bodied gun to the light. "Here it is: anti-blast activator made by the one and only…….."

"Does it work?" Beastboy reached up to grab it from him but Cyborg held it away.

"Yo! Cool. It will work and……well…if it doesn't, at least it would be worth a try."

"Do me first." Robin said, standing up.

"No, me first." Beastboy stepped in front of Robin.

"hey, no fair. I said first." Robin pushed Beastboy out of his way. "if it doesn't work its okay but if there are any side effects……."

"There wont be." Cyborg said hotly.

"well, if there are, then I can risk it."

"Even I can." Beastboy grinned. "We don't want Starfire killing Cyborg, do we?"

"Now listen, here, you both………" but Cyborg couldn't complete the sentence

"Beastboy, you are the kiddy-titan here who doesn't have any cares, why throw yourself in front of a………."

"Precisely. I don't care and no one cares for me." Beastboy didn't know why he said that but he regretted it immediately. "…….no one cares for me jokes……you know….." Beastboy flashed them his brightest and fakest grin yet.

"That's it! Neither of you gets blasted first." Cyborg pointed the gun at himself and before either of them could say or do anything he fired. The blast knocked him off his feet and Robin and Beastboy rushed to him.

"Cyborg! Are you okay?"

"Dude, you alright?"

Cyborg got up painfully. They watched as he straitened up and shook his head. Then he cocked his head to one side, as if waiting for something to happen. When nothing did, he opened the mini-computer in his arm and immediately gave a triumphant shout.

"Yo! It says here I'm fine!" both Robin and Beastboy cheered loudly and started clapping themselves and Cyborg on the back.

Cyborg was smiling broadly. He kissed the Blast-gun. "Now your turn." He said, facing Beastboy and Robin.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

In less than an hour's time all the titans had been anti-blasted and the health monitors in Cyborg's lab certified them fit and fine. Starfire and Raven had returned as Cyborg was Blasting Beastboy and both had agreed immediately to be blasted. What with a nearly a week spent sleepless, the titans were eager to retire and all of them went to bed by 10. Raven wasn't as enthusiastic as the others but she at least could hope that she wouldn't have any more of _those_ dreams. Robin seemed to be wanting to say something to her but she kept avoiding him and by the looks of it, so did Beastboy. Raven had noticed Robin look at Beastboy with a weary and slightly annoyed expression all night till everyone turned in.**_ I wonder why? Or maybe I don't want to wonder why……………._**

She hummed to herself as she brushed her hair and yawned suddenly. **_Three cheers for Cyborg_** she thought as she removed her cloak. She dropped into the bed and within seconds felt her mind slip into the realm of sweet sleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Beastboy was, once again, lying awake in his room. He knew he could sleep if he tried but he didn't care for that now. Just the fact that he felt inclined towards sleeping meant that Cyborg's gun had worked. But he couldn't sleep. **_How long am I going to walk the tower with a grin plastered on my face? How long am I going to last? How am I going to look at her and not let her see what I feel? How…………….._**

Beastboy swore silently. He checked the patrol-watch unnecessarily. Now when he was itching to do something….anything that would distract him, it wouldn't beep. Maybe if he went for a walk or something………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Raven was sitting up in bed. She couldn't believe it. She had just had another stupid dream.**_ And they keep getting worse…….._** She rubbed her eyes. Her head was blasting and she badly needed a cup of tea. **_Well, at least I'll be the only one in the kitchen tonight._** And trying to convince herself that that was a good thing, she reached for her cloak.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Fate has a funny sense of humor and this has been said before. Which is most probably why Beastboy felt the need for a bite when he passed the kitchen. He pushed open the door and stopped short in his tracks. Raven was sitting at the table with her head in her hands. She looked up at the sound of the door being opened.

"Raven?" Beastboy said cautiously.

She groaned and put her head down again. "You again?"

"What's up?" he asked moving to the table and not feeling all that bad now.

"The bloody ceiling and don't tell me I cracked a joke." Raven didn't even bother to look up at him and he pulled out a chair for himself.

"Cool. Is the….blast not working or something?" Beastboy was starting to feel Genuinely concerned now.

"Beastboy can you do me a favor?" She looked up but not at him.

"Sure, anything Raven."

"Then go. Please. Go and save me a bigger headache."

Beastboy didn't reply. He could make out that she was very upset over something and he wanted to help her but he didn't know how or what he should do to make her feel better. So he just sat where he was. They sat like that for a minute or so; Beastboy looking at Raven and she looking at something over his shoulder. Finally she snapped.

"Okay, so I wasn't getting sleep. I came for a cup of tea. Enough?"

"Raven, could you just for a minute think of me as……as….Robin or someone and tell me what's wrong."

"What makes you think I would tell Robin?"

"Well, he's leader, he's sensible, sensitive and he isn't green." Beastboy eyes never left her face as he spoke and she looked at him at last.

"I don't care for color, Beastboy. Never have, never will." She seemed to be hurt and a little unnerved by his serious tone and Beastboy felt a little guilty as he watched her dark, unsure eyes move away from his face.

"I get it now!" Beastboy's naturally genial mood took on as he spoke. "You had a dream that when you got up in the morning, someone had painted your cloak and leotard bubble-gum pink and that you were walking all over the place like that before you noticed it and Cyb…………"

"Beastboy…."

"Cyborg took photos and pasted it all over the……….."

"BEASTBOY!"

"Sorry." Beastboy looked away, whistling softly. He knew Raven got annoyed with him really fast but he also knew that a small smile was tugging at the corners of her lips and it made his heart leap up and do a hundred summersaults. Even as he was thinking of saying something dumb and funny, the Patrol-watch started beeping. He groaned as he flipped it open and noted the place.

"Trouble?" Raven asked, looking at him.

"DUH! Actually it's some small scrap at the warehouse." He stood up as he spoke. "I'll be back soon. If it gets serious, then the usual procedure." Beastboy paused. He didn't in the least want to leave her alone in the state she was. "So, try to get some sleep……."

"Sleep? Might sooner achieve nirvana……" Raven muttered looking at her feet.

"Well……then why don't you come along…….I mean…maybe the fresh air will help…uh…….." Beastboy waited with his heart in his mouth: any second now she would summon up that black energy of hers and………

"Since when has fresh air helped in getting sleep?" Raven got off the chair and dragged her feet to the door. Beastboy was so surprised that he stood still for almost a minute. All the fight seemed to have gone from her and he had never seen her looking so defeated.

"Dude….tte….wait!" he caught up with her halfway down the corridor leading to their rooms. "Listen…….whew….I mean….the fresh air might distract you….uh positively, you know kind of relaxing………don't they always say that……..that…uh……..hell, just come! It would be better cooped up all on your own in your room with nothing but whatever thought that's distressing you….and don't tell me you're not depressed cos you are."

Raven blinked at him. She seemed to be in some kind of stupor and when she didn't reply, he grinned at her.

"Good. Now is there anything…" he made his way to the stairs, dragging her with him

"I didn't say I would come…" she said in her monotone but made no attempt at freeing herself. Beastboy pretended he hadn't heard. He would most probably regret this, especially if something went wrong. But for him, anything was worth risking to see her cheerful.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

They were out in a few minutes time and within another 10 minutes, they reached the warehouses that were built near the Jump city dock. It was a slightly chilly night and the wind was blowing with enough force to make Raven's cloak flap around her. The whole area was so quite that Raven could hear Beastboy's each and every breath. If only she could breath that peacefully and calmly. She didn't know why she hadn't stopped him from dragging her along. Maybe she was just too tired and confused. Or maybe she, like him, was expecting something to go wrong……anything…….so that she could get a chance to prove to herself that she didn't like him, that they weren't meant to be……..be anything but friends.

"Kinda' cold, isn't it?" Beastboy rubbed his arms as he scanned the whole area.

"Ummm…….." Raven was beginning to wonder why she was out of the warm tower at this time of the night. "I don't see anything wrong here. Are you sure this is the place….?

"The alert said Warehouse no. 3." He looked up at the huge block behind him and Raven followed his gaze. 'No. 3' was written in bold black letters on a plaque.

"Maybe we came too late…….No, can't be. I teleported us halfway……….." Raven looked about her. To the left, there was a patch of closely growing, leafy trees and to the other side was the mud road that led to the dock. She was just going to say that they had better leave, when soft fall of feet was heard. She and Beastboy exchanged looks and he motioned her to keep silent. Soon, they could hear voices, coming closer every second.

"……shhh….Don't stomp like that, Cormac." the voice was low and a female's. "According to the info I received, it's that metal man………"

"Cyborg, Kelly..." A rougher but more timid voice this time.

"Yeah…….him and Robin's turn on duty and that they are planning a meeting here." The woman called Kelly sounded very excited. "if we are lucky we'll get a good shot of them both getting it on………"

Raven and Beastboy were standing still and listening intently. Neither of them liked what they were hearing.

"Getting it on?? Are they suggesting that…….." Raven started angrily but the voices were so close now and a sudden, very unpleasant thought struck her. Acting instinctively, she grabbed hold of Beastboy and dashed into the nearby trees just as the 2 people appeared around the corner.

"What……." But Raven quickly silenced him.

"They aren't going to find Cy and Robin but they'll find us and you can imagine what will be the "hot stuff" of tomorrow's news…" she whispered angrily. Beastboy looked confused for a second and then nodded quickly. They both peered through the branches. The two reporters were standing right where they had been a few seconds ago. The woman called Kelly was looking all over the place.

"They must be somewhere here………" she muttered, while her partner, a short, bespectacled man fiddled with the camera slung around his neck. Her eyes fell on the thicket just as Raven was preparing to teleport them back to the tower. Kelly rushed towards them and Beastboy and Raven automatically stepped backwards hurriedly. They moved so abruptly that Raven's leg caught in a root and she went down, pulling Beastboy with her. She didn't even wait to get up and once again, just as the reporter burst into the little clearing, Raven and Beastboy disappeared.

**did you like it? i know it was kind of a cliffy but i wanted to upload soon and i dont have that much time. about the delay, im really really sorry. i had my exams and mom wouldnt let me near the laptop.**

**ch 8 will be up sooner and i promise it'll be more...lets say more juicier...**

**author..**


	8. the locket of fate

**WONT INTERRUPT, JUST READ.**

**AUTHOR.**

**CHAPTER 8**

The next instant, they both were on the smooth, tiled floor of the titans' kitchen. **_Which is good_** thought Raven.**_ No reporters here…_** these things happen, how exactly one cant say, except that fate had great comic timing: Beastboy and Raven had appeared in the tower still clutching each other and in the process of rolling. She had, after all, been doing just that, even if for a split second, in the clearing._ And _she had pulled Beastboy down with her, trying to get hold of something and not fall.

It wasn't gentle touchdown exactly and Beastboy landed hard on his back, with Raven on the top. They rolled just twice (even Titans got to obey _some_ rules of physics) and came to a stop, panting slightly. Raven was looking into deep green eyes and trying, but failing hopelessly, to free herself from their locked position on the floor. **_Damn…MOVE Raven. Get up…. _**Beastboy, on the other hand, wasn't responding or showing any emotion. He was just staring back but his eyes were twinkling again and Raven blushed. **_That's it_** she thought

"MOVE" she growled, glaring at him.

"Uh…..Raven" Beastboy smiled now. "You are the one who has to move….."

"Huh?" Raven flushed as she realized that she was pinning him down. He was definitely grinning now and Raven cursed silently, wishing that she was far, far away from here…..anything would have been better than this.

She pushed herself up but before she could even get up into a sitting position, she fell back onto him.

"OW!"

"Oh…..sor…" she pushed herself up on one elbow and realized, once again for the first time, that the brooch at her neck had got caught in a long silver chain around Beastboy's neck. She groaned in frustration. Why did this kind of thing always happen to her?

Beastboy still wasn't moving or doing anything at all and she fumbled with the chain, trying to untangle it. She kept her head down throughout, unable to meet his eye: she wasn't so sure she could feign anger this time.

Maybe because her hands were shaking or maybe because it really was badly tangled up, but Raven just couldn't get the chain free. No way the Brooch was coming out: It was a part of her costume and Cyborg had designed those very sturdily. But the dumb chain seemed to be just as stubborn and she pulled and tugged, all the time very much aware of how close they were, how half her body was pressed against him.

"Here…" Long, gloved fingers wrapped around hers and gently moved them away from the chain. She looked up reflexively and saw Beastboy raise his head a little, just enough to pull the chain of his head. "There, its free now."

Raven didn't wait another second and scrambled up. Her heart was telling her to turn tail and flee to the safety of her room but her mind was saying something else. She couldn't show that she had been affected by what had happened. So she held out her hand and helped him up.

"Thanks." He said as he straitened up. "That chain is always getting tangled up with things."

"Oh." Raven looked down at the chain which was lying between her breasts now. It was a heavy one with a locket. She tried once again to free it and amazingly, it came loose almost at once. She looked up and Beastboy raised an eyebrow at her. They stood like that for a few seconds and Beastboy was about to open his mouth when:

"What?" she glared at him, silently daring him to make a crack. He grinned broadly then, his little fang sticking out and Raven felt her heart falter. How she hated it when he did that, when he melted her with just a smile. To avoid looking at him, she examined the locket that was strung on the chain. It was that kind that opened up to have pictures inside.

"I didn't know you wore a chain."

"Well, now you do." He held out his hand for the chain and she gave it to him. He put it around his neck immediately and Raven wondered if there was a photo inside and if so, whose?

"It was my mom's" he said quietly, as if he could read part of what he was thinking.

"Oh." She was startled a bit and was once again at a loss for what to say. What do you say about things you never completely get over with? What do you say about losses that can't be replaced? "Its…it's a very beautiful one…."

He smiled again and whatever trace of sadness that had been there in his eyes momentarily disappeared. "Yeah…of course it is! It belongs to me, Beastboy…..actually Beast-man….."

Raven frowned. **_There he goes again… _**"That's enough." She sighed and then yawned, surprising herself.

"Sleepy?"

Raven rolled her eyes in answer. Trust him to ask the dumbest and most obvious questions on earth.

"Yes…bye." She turned to leave.

"What….we live in the same tower, same corridor. Bye already?" he faked a huge sigh. "We could walk together, you know…."

"Beastboy, what makes you think I intend on walking all the way to my room?" she said, without turning around.

"Oh…yes of course, you're Raven. But me, poor me……..tired legs…."

"Don't even think about it"

"……..so tired, what with a few ribs broken…."

"………"

"By the weight of a certain half demoness…."

"Idiot!" she turned to face him, resisting the urge to smile and tear him to pieces at the same time. He was looking innocently at her, green eyes all big and sad.

"What? I didn't say anything…" but Raven was shaking her head as she summoned up her black energy. The next second, they were in the corridor, in front of Raven's room.

"Happy?" she snapped as she opened her door.

"Good night to you too, Raven."

She paused at the door. "Goodnight." She said quietly and was just about to go inside when he stopped her again.

"It's nice to have you around." He said.

She froze, with her back towards him. After a few seconds he turned and started walking away slowly. She couldn't bear it anymore. She always snubbed him and there he was, complimenting her.

"You too." She called after him, leaning out of the room. He looked back and smiled at her, then continued walking.

Raven stepped in, closed her door and fell onto her bed. She didn't know why, but she felt slightly happy. She didn't want to know why, but she felt better. Not wanting to think, she closed her eyes.

**WELL, I KNOW THIS WAS A COMPARITIVELY SHORT CHAPTER BUT I HOPE IT CAME OUT WELL. REVIEWS PLEASE, I LIVE OFF THEM!**

**Thanks to all you guys who took time to review**

**Moonlitpride**


	9. birthday downs

**CHAPTER: 9 STARFIRE'S CHOCOLATE SURPRISE.**

Starfire woke up that morning feeling unusually fresh and relaxed. She sat up in the big, double bed and stretched. Then she looked beside her: Robin was curled up under the covers, still fast asleep. She smiled to herself. Sure she still was the 'innocent' one among them and the bubbliest titan, but she had matured immeasurably over the years. Not feeling like leaving the warmth of the bed so soon, she leaned back against her pillow and closed her eyes. There had to be some reason why she felt so good today. Yeah, she had had a good night's sleep, what with the Blast effects all washed away, thanks to Cyborg. But she was dead sure that wasn't the reason.

"Hmmm…" she opened her eyes and looked down beside her. Robin had pulled the covers down a little so that she could now see his toned chest. She kept looking at him, still wondering what was special about today when Robin spoke, startling her.

"Penny for your thoughts." He said, with his eyes closed. There was a slight bristle covering his strong chin and he wasn't wearing his mask. Starfire had been the first one to see him without his mask. Later, the others had too, though he still wore it while he was 'on duty', which was, needless to say, all the time.

"Huh?"

"Never mind" Robin groaned. "Why you up so early?"

"You mean 'Why _are_ you up so early', no?"

"Since when have you corrected my English, Star?" Robin opened his eyes, grinning at her.

She grinned back. "I was right, no?"

"Yes, of course." He shook his head and then, without warning, pulled her down, beside him.

"Robin!" she squealed, taken by surprise. She pushed him off and rolled of the bed, pulling the covers with her. It was his turn to be surprised and slightly embarrassed. He still checked himself around her, but Starfire didn't have any reserves.

"You'll pay for that." He said, holding one of the pillows to shield himself, or more rightly, his _parts_ from her flirtatious gaze. Not that either of them minded, he was just playing the same game. She wrapped the sheet around her securely, still grinning. Humming, she made for the drawers. They both were in her room.

"You're in a really good mood today." Robin said, watching her toss clothes out of the drawers. He pulled off a blouse which fell on his head and asked "What is it, won't you tell me?"

"I don't know myself." Starfire skipped over to the next set of Drawers. "But I'm happy." She flung a towel and his underpants at him, and once more, they landed neatly on his head.

"Well, as long as you're happy." Robin pulled the towel around him and got off the bed. It was a blue towel, dark, the shade of Raven's Leotard and cape.

"Hey!" Robin said suddenly. "It's her birthday."

"What?" Starfire turned to look at him.

"Its Raven's birthday today. Remember?"

Starfire put her head on one side and thought. Yes, a few years ago, on this day, she had been very unhappy and scared. Not only she, but the whole lot of them. _Raven……….Slade's message…..her Birthday………Trigon…_ But not this time, or any other time. Last year Raven had, at last, agreed to have some sort of birthday bash and though it wasn't half as cheerful or grand as the parties the others had, it was pretty good for a first time. After that, each and every Titan (other than Raven) had silently sworn that the next time would be way better and that Raven _would_ actually enjoy herself. So many years had passed since they had first fought together and all of them had changed considerably, including Raven. They had all grown up together and together they had come over their weaknesses, their sorrows, their reserves. But Raven had showed the least change. Sure she smiled a lot more now, sure she actually came along with them on fun trips and holidays, but that wasn't enough. At least not for the titans. They wanted a free Raven, not bound by anything.

"You seem to be lost." Robin said, jerking Starfire out of her thoughts.

"Robin, I want Raven to be really happy today."

"Me too, Star. Its what we all want."

"So, what shall we do? We need to go, now!" Starfire flapped her arms about, suddenly tense. "We haven't bought anything yet, oh, oh……."

"Star. STAR! Listen to me. We'll get going immediately. The party arrangements are made already. Cyborg had informed me yesterday night, I just remembered." Robin grinned mischievously at her. "Last night drove everything out of my mind."

"Sex-creep!"

Robin nearly fell over. "From where the hell did you learn that?!!" Starfire grinned and dragged him into the shower.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Brriiiinnnnnnnnnnnng! Brriiiinnnnnnnnnnnng!

Cyborg sat up with a start. He checked the alarm and groaned: 6.00am. hell, he was _so_ dead. He scrambled out of bed and within 5 minutes he was out of the Tower. Today was an important day, A really important day. He got inside the T-car and hit the gas full and fast.

_**"She is the closest I have to a sister, to a family. Hell, the titans are my family and they are all I've got, all we've all got."**_

Last year, he had gifted her a stereo system that he had himself designed. Needless to say, it was the best ever made or planned. This year, it had to be something better. Way better.

"Me the genius." Cyborg said. And then he grinned. He was reminded of Beastboy. **_Man, that guy. How long is he going to keep it to himself? Maybe, maybe the best gift I could give her would be that. The best gift: realization. _**

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Raven groaned the moment she opened her eyes. It was _that_ time of the year again. She couldn't say she completely detested it but she still felt very weird celebrating the day that the whole of Azarath had feared till a few years ago.She yawned as she sat up and surveyed her room: it was slightly messy and neglected. She didn't care. She could get the whole tower cleaned in 5 minutes, what was a small room?

**_What shall I wear?…...That IS a dumb question, even to ask yourself._** She barely had a pair of decent "normal" clothes. Those were the ones that Starfire had bought for her on their last vacation. Besides, when did Raven ever care about clothes? She only ever wore her leotard. Yeah, she had many pairs of pajamas, even 2 nightgowns. It was what she wore during the summer, _at night_, that is. During winter, she didn't bother.

Raven sighed as she got out of bed. Dragging her self to the bathroom, she brushed and washed and soon was ready. **_For what?_ _The moment I step into the hall, Starfire will break a few ribs of mine, trying to tell me how much she loves and cares for me._ **In spite is herself, Raven smiled. Maybe birthdays aren't so bad after all, well as long as they didn't make her ware a hat, and sing……..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Beastboy was in his room. He had a major problem. Well, 2 major problems actually. The first was that he didn't have a spare pair of clean uniform. All were put for wash. If it had been any other day, he wouldn't have bothered, he would have worn the same one he had worn the previous day and none would have the wiser. But he couldn't do that _Today._ Oh no, he couldn't.

The second problem was that he had 2 gifts to choose from and he didn't know which to give. He could give both of them, but that would be like he didn't care which she would have liked better. **_And after so many years together, you don't know which one she would like…………but then again, this is Raven we're talking about. _**He jumped off the little table he had been sitting on and stretched in front of the mirror. He was only wearing faded blue jeans with nothing to cover his green, toned torso. Far from the skinny body he once had had, he had a well developed body now, though he still was the slimmest male on the team.

He grabbed a white, loose shirt from the messy pile that was his shelf, and put it on. He would sneak up to the laundry room and right then and there, get a pair washed. He could dry it in a few seconds, what with Cyborg's super dryer installed.

He decided to leave the gifts in his room for the time being. He could give it to her later, when they had the party. He knew the extent to which Cyborg had gone to make this day perfect and he, Beastboy, wasn't going to spend the whole morning stuck in his room, trying to make up his mind.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

it was no wonder that the main hall being empty came as a big surprise to Raven. She had expected a typical titan scramble and mad rush the moment she entered the hall. But nothing of that sort happened and an empty, silent hall was all that greeted her.

"Well, now that's funny" she muttered, walking up to the fridge. **_Why am I not disappointed?_** She thought. **_They must all still be in bed; after all, it's only a day since everyone started sleeping well again. _**

But Raven knew that all the titans were awake. Her demonic intuition told her so. She wondered where everyone was and frowned. **_If they're gonna pull some dumb prank on me…………_**

She removed the kettle from the stove and placed it on the table. Last time she had drunk tea, Beastboy had interrupted her. The guy had a weird habit of turning up wherever she was.

"HEY! Birthday girl!" Raven spun around to see Beastboy framed against the doorway. **_Speak of the devil………._** She stopped short. WHAT was he wearing again?

Beastboy must have followed her gaze for he smiled, tugging at his shirt.

"Don't have a spare uniform." He said holding up the one he had worn the previous day. "I'm gonna put it for wash."

"Oh." Raven nodded dismissively and returned to her tea. But she couldn't dismiss it from her thoughts. He looked…….so……there wasn't any other way to put it……..sexy! He looked different, grown up. **_What the HELL am I thinking??_**

She looked up briefly to see that he was gone. **_To the washroom, where else? _**Which was a pity. She had wanted to take another look at him. Raven choked on her tea. **_This is wrong, so wrong. I can't think such thoughts; I shouldn't be…..if he finds out……._**

She gulped down the rest of the tea. Just as she was finishing the last sip, Beastboy returned, now clad in his usual attire. He grinned at her as he moved about the kitchen, getting ready his breakfast. Raven didn't even frown back at him. She was just too tense and weary. Though she always snubbed him, threatened him and generally gave the impression that she could barely stand him, everyone knew that she cared for him just as much as she did for the others. She accepted it too, only now she was apprehensive and though she would never admit it, she was scared. She was scared of these feelings that felt new, yet known to her as if she had harbored it for ages. It was showing now, she was more aware of it. More aware of him.

"So, is there any point in asking you what you're gonna wear?" Beastboy took a seat at the table, breakfast tray in hand.

"No." Raven got up even as he sat down. She started clearing away her place.

"Where are the others?" if Beastboy was offended by her action, it didn't show in his tone.

"Don't know." Raven washed her hands at the sink. Having super powers came in real handy when it came to clearing up. It took her only 5 seconds to do what took others 5 minutes. She pulled up her hood and moved towards the door.

"Raven"

She stopped and turned. "What?"

"Can you get me some water please?" Beastboy looked beseechingly at her, putting out his tongue. "This is hot…"

Raven didn't move for a second. She sighed and lifted her hand. The black energy connected to the fridge and she got a bottle out. She put it down on the table and turned back but before she could move a muscle, Beastboy called again.

"Raven, wait." Raven turned for the second time, a vein pulsing in her forehead. "WHAT IS IT NOW, BEA…………."

She stopped and then groaned. Beastboy was holding the bottle in both his hands and it seemed to be stuck. Cyborg had designed one such bottle last year for Starfire's birthday and it seemed like he had done the same for hers.

"Not my fault, how was I supposed to know………….."

"Oh, stop blabbering, you……….fool." Raven marched up to him. "Try changing into something." She watched as he changed into a mouse and tried to shake the bottle off. It didn't budge. He then turned into a lion and tried ripping it with his teeth. That didn't work either.

"What now?" He asked, changing back. "What, don't look at me like that, this is your fault………."

"Oh, and how?" Raven was starting to get mad now.

"I asked for water, not a trick bottle."

"Maybe next time you should get off you lazy ass and try to fetch it yourself, smart guy."

"Well, you could have refused………"

"Excuse me!"

"…..nothing….."

"I try to be nice and get you…………"

"Forget it"

"…..ungrateful…….."

"RAVEN!" Beastboy waved the bottle in front of her face. "Can you first think of a way to unstuck these?"

Raven sighed. She was starting on a headache. "I don't know…….. Where are the others? This is Cyborg's stupid idea………"

"Must have all gone out to get ready things for tonight."

Raven snorted.

"Cant you try to…..you know………_phase_ the bottle from my hands or something."

"Hmmmmmm…………..may work. But it may hurt though." Without warning she summoned up her power and concentrating on the bottle, she pulled it out."

"OUCH!" Beastboy yelped, and went silent. The bottle was in her hands. Raven grinned at him and threw away the bottle. She flew towards the door, and then stopped as if she had hit a stone wall. Her sharp, almost un-human senses picked up the smell of blood. She spun around. Beastboy was at the sink. It would have seemed as if he was just washing his hands had it not been for her senses. She was at his side the next instant.

"Rae…….."

But she wasn't listening; she grabbed his hands from under the tap and held them up. There were lines of blood sprouting out of his palms. She had pulled it too hard; it had cut his hands badly.

"It's nothing, really………….."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she shouted, hating herself for her rashness and hating him for being so good about it.

"They're just a few scratches………" he pulled his hands away gently and held them under the tap again, grinning at her."You really think I would get hurt by that……"

Raven wasn't fooled. She pulled his hands out of the sink roughly and he winced. Glaring at him, she held his hands in hers and a bluish glow surrounded them for a second. She loosened her grip and examined his hands without once looking up at him. There wasn't even a scar left.

Even though the wounds were healed, Raven didn't feel better. She didn't let go of his hands either. How many times had she done this? How many times had she acted rashly, without thinking, and hurt so many……..hurt him? How many more times would she?

'Hey, Raven." Beastboy said softly. Raven looked up startled. She sighed. That was the third or fourth time today she was sighing. She let go of his hands.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt…..you." her voice shook as she spoke. She had hurt him really badly many times before in battles and little fights. Those all had been intentional, by way of battle. Even she had got hurt. But she didn't know why this time she felt so wretched. Maybe it was one time too many. Maybe because it was more emotional, then physical. She didn't know and she didn't try to stop the tears that shone at the corners of her eyes. She wasn't crying because she had hurt him. She wasn't crying for what had happened today. She was crying for her years of stony behavior.

"Come on…………its okay" he moved closer. "Don't get upset over something this silly, Rae."

"I'm always like this, right?" Raven's voice had hardened again. She looked at him. "Why don't you hate me?" Beastboy's lips curled slightly and he leant forward.

"Because no one else will bang me on the head for telling a PJ." He wiped the tears on her face. Raven didn't protest, instead she glared at him.

"WHAT!?"

"See, what did I tell you?"

"Beastboy, you jerk………that was" Raven curled up her fists, and then her shoulders slumped again. "………so not funny."

"I'm sorry." Beastboy said suddenly.

"What...I should be saying that." Raven said quietly.

"No. if I would have made a fuss about it then itself, you would have got mad at me, shouted a little. You wouldn't have………..got so upset."

"…no…..I……" Raven felt fury bubble up inside her all of a sudden. "…precisely. I would have shouted at you. It's what I would have done." She started screaming at him. "…THAT'S THE WAY RAVEN IS, ISNT IT…… HURTING PEOPLE……HURTING YOU." She flew to the door without another word and was about to turn into the corridor.

"You didn't hurt me, Raven. You healed me…………..in more ways than you know." He hadn't moved after her and his voice was so soft she nearly didn't hear him.

**_"You healed me…………..in more ways than you know"_** Raven couldn't take it anymore. She didn't bother with flying. She phased directly into her room.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………


	10. starfire's chocolate surprise: 2

hey guys!

i'm really sorry i couldnt update earlier. well, this chapter is up and i'm sorry to say that you'll probably find it not so interesting...i'm sorry for that, i promise the next chapter will be a knockout.

pls read:

the thing is, my finals are here. theses exams decide whether or not i pass into the next grade, so i really got to give it my best shot. the next chapter will only be up by march 12th and i'll personally leave a message for all the reviewers when it gets ready. of course, i'll try my best to upload sooner but i cant say for sure.

read and enjoy(hopefully)

oh, and by the way, i love you guys. thanks so much for reviewing with patience.

c ya

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**CHAPTER 10: BIRTHDAY UPS & DOWNS**

**STARFIRE'S CHOCOLATE SURPRISE 2**

Unlike every other average teenager, Starfire hadn't always known the taste of chocolate. Of course, not being an average, _normal_ teen, one can hardly blame her for it. But there's one unsaid rule on little green planet Earth: you got money, you gotta taste chocolate.

And the Titans had money. Not enough to buy the world…..but close enough. You could always get free candy from the local store.

_What had happened: _Robin had bought a Cadbury bar for Starfire. Starfire had taken a bite, closed her eyes, and started chewing. Well, the result was, by the time she had finished it she realized that……….man……chocolate is so worth digging into!!

The truth is very basic and simple, almost primal. You have something sweet in your mouth, your lips tend to curl into a little smile of bliss. Especially if that something is chocolate.

And no one needed to smile more often than Raven did.

So all Starfire wanted to give Raven on her birthday was an opportunity to smile. The thing was chocolate was just as easily available and common as it was special.

Starfire's chocolate surprise had to be very, very special.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cyborg groaned for what must have been the hundredth time that day. Sure he had decided that he would have to somehow make Raven realize how much she meant to all of them, especially one green guy but he didn't have a clue how.

Okay, so the first part wasn't really needed: Raven already knew how much the titans loved her.

"**_But what about the next bit? How the hell am I gonna pull that off? Can hardly walk up to her and say_** ''hi Raven, guess what. BB's got this thing going on for you………""

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

So the day had begun not so well and though Raven was feeling much better now, she still felt like kicking herself. This time it was for a different reason. She felt she had let out too much. She shouldn't have got so upset and lost it. **_"In front of Beastboy, that too…"_**

Now she was in her room once more and she dreaded going out and facing him again. She knew that Starfire would soon be knocking on her door (when she had returned, that it). She would for sure have a new dress that she would eventually persuade Raven to try out. Last year Raven had worn a complete black dress that looked really classy but if it hadn't been for the flowing silk that had come till her ankles, it would have resembled her uniform a lot.

Yeah, she knew that wasn't exactly how teenagers dressed on her birthday but she just refused to accept it. She felt too exposed in anything else but her uniform, even if it covered every inch of her.

"**_I wonder what she'll have me wear this time."_** Raven couldn't help the reluctant smile that graced her lips. Sure she made a fuss about dressing but she _was_ interested in what Starfire would buy. A small part of her even hoped that it would be something that would catch Beastboy's attention. **_"Maybe I should wear green…….."_**

Raven had been lying on her bed and she got up so quickly, she got a catch in her neck. But she hardly registered it. **_"What the fuck is wrong with me!!?"_** she couldn't believe it. Again and again, no matter what she thought about or what she did, she ended up thinking about him.

Beastboy has faced so much; his only solace was the friends he had. She knew he cared for her a lot but if he knew that she was…..that she was falling for him, it would completely shatter him. She had to get a grip on herself. **_"He doesn't feel that way for you, Raven. Don't confuse yourself; you'll end up getting hurt and hurting him."_**

She got off the bed. She was going to take a bath and refresh herself. When Starfire gets the dress, which Raven was sure she would, she would not make a fuss. She was going to wear whatever it was and go through this day being really good and not messing up anymore. Beastboy should never know exactly how much he affected her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"**_Messed it up completely, haven't you? Had to open your fat mouth."_** He knew that it had been an accident, that it hadn't been either of their faults but Beastboy couldn't help feel guilty at having made Raven cry on her birthday.**_ "There you go………you're talking like you mage her cry" _**Beastboy closed his eyes. **_"But, I did, didn't I?"_**

He took a deep, calming breath and opened his eyes with new determination. He was old enough be serious about a girl, and hell, he was damn serious about her. He had to let her know somehow. It may all end up very badly, too badly. Maybe she would never trust him again. There was also the teeniest chance, that maybe, maybe she may feel the same. The Titans had when itself learnt that if you don't give something a shot when you have the chance to, you may end up losing so bad. **_I've at least got to try. i could never forgive myself if she had felt the same all long. _**

Beastboy knew that, the way things were right now, it was a bad idea to risk anything. Not that he was going to walk up to Raven and confess his love anytime soon; it was just that he knew he had to be careful to not upset her anymore. He recalled the way she had been so upset on hurting him.

Maybe she did have feelings for him.**_ Rot, that's just because she cares for you………_**

_**Then again, it maybe something else too.**_

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Time had flown. It was half past noon when Starfire and Robin returned. They would have arrived sooner, but they had run into a little trouble on the way. Nothing they couldn't handle of course. The city prison had 12 new occupants now.

They had with them a huge, a really huge Blackforest cake with extra icing and chocolate, packets of chips, bottles of cool drinks and mild wine, boxes of pastries and cookies, a mind dazzling array of party decorations and posters, a stack of new Cds and other odd items. If it hadn't been for Starfire's superhuman…..ur…..super-alien strength, they would have had to hire a truck.

"Where do you think they are?" Robin asked. The hall was empty.

"I don't know……..in their rooms, maybe." Starfire put down the last packet and slumped into a nearby chair. "Who all are we inviting?"

"The other Titans………any friend of yours?"

"All back home. But we have enough for a good party, don't you think?" She got up and looked around, already ready for arranging everything.

Robin's communicator rang with a shrill beep. He answered it briskly.

"Robin here…….yes, that's right………..uh…..okay ….right, thank you" he hung up and grinned widely at Starfire. "That was the pizza guy. He said Cyborg had ordered half his shop early today and they would deliver it by 6 in the evening."

"Good. Now, where do we start?" Before he could say anything, her communicator rang. Looking wary, she picked it up. Whoever was on the other side started shouting immediately and she held the comm. a mile from her ear.

"Yes……..su…sure. Thank you." Rubbing her slightly red ear, she said. "Mrs. Rotwormmer….."

"RoutWeiler" Robin corrected, grinning. "About the Dress, right?"

"Yes, it's ready; she will have it dropped in here in an hour's time." Mrs. RoutWeiler was the woman who the Titans went to for having custom made dresses or costumes. In the beginning, it had been costumes for various missions but now she did Birthday dresses and suits too.

She was an excellent dressmaker, and a little deaf.

Starfire and Robin looked at each other, wondering what to do next. There was one more little parcel they had to collect. It was too early to start decorating the tower. They would need Cyborg for that, anyway.

"I'm gonna call Cy." Robin said pulling out his communicator again. "Why don't you see where Raven and Beastboy are?"

"Okay." Starfire hovered to the door and out of it as Robin waited for Cyborg to pick up, which he did the next instant.

"Hello, Cy."

"_Robin. You at the tower?"_

"Yea, we got a lot of eats and things, what 'bout you?"

"_I'm getting the tricks and all that. And a gift, what did you all buy for her?"_

"Starfire got this dress, and all of custom made chocolates are on the way………I've got something too."

"_Me too, did you check the lighting? The generators should be got ready in case of a power cut or something."_

"I'll do that. You inform the city cops to be extra alert the whole evening and contact the other Titans."

"_Ok." _He hung up at that and Robin sighed. Sure they managed to have a lot of fun, if not every day at least on some days. But he still got tense every time they planned a party or something. Couldn't be too careful about letting their guard down nowadays.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Starfire was in Beastboy's room.

She was holding her breath ever so slightly, probably afraid of catching something.

She was also glaring at the green Titan who was snoring away to glory.

"Beastboy?"

"Zzzzz……….Um?"

"Friend Beastboy, wake up." She waited for a second more and then pulled the covers from under him so that he landed on the floor with big _thump_.

"What the……" Beastboy was on his feet the next instant, ready to attack the invading demons and finish them all with a single blow……………"….Starfire?"

"Beastboy, sorry to wake you up from the sleepy world like that….BUT IT'S RAVEN'S BIRTHDAY AND HAVE YOU DECIDED WHAT YOU WILL GIVE HER?!!"

"Uh…." Beastboy sweat-dropped. "Well, I've got………some, uh…..stuff here that…….that she may…like..."

"What are they?" Beastboy sure had grown to be tall but the angry alien seemed to tower over him and he took a small step back.

"It's…….a surprise."

"Well, of course it is…" Starfire was speaking through clenched teeth. It was so plain to see that he really wanted Raven to know that he harbored more than the love of friendship for her, and yet, he stood there like an idiot.

"I…..look, I don't have to tell you. What if you tell her?"

"Do not excuse me"

"Give excuses"

"Yes, that. Do not do that."

"Look, Starfire, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure which one to give her." Beastboy dropped onto his bed, his head down. He opened a drawer beside his bed and took out a small wooden box. He handed it to her, without opening it.

"See for yourself" he said

She opened it and stared at it for a whole minute. There were two items in the box. Both were thick, light, but strong elegant chains with just one difference: one of them a black dagger-pendent while the other one had a white circular one that looked like a shield.

"It's….platenium, no?"

"Platinum, yea." Beastboy looked up. "So, which one should I give?"

Starfire thought for a minute. The chains were the hook type ones. Quickly, she unhooked both of them. Then, she passed the hook of the first one through the eye of the other one. She did the same with the other hook and eye so that she was holding up a single chain double the size of the first ones.

Beastboy stared at it. "And where will she where such a long one?"

"She can wear it around her waist, it's big enough. Or she can roll it up and wear in around her wrist, like a bracelet." Starfire beamed at Beastboy. She could see by the light in his eyes that he was impressed.

"That was smart." He said, taking it from her. "Geez, Starfire, I owe you one."

"One what?"

"Uh…….favour, for helping me out."

"We've got most of the stuff needed already." Starfire did a graceful pirouette. "Today is going to be fun! So, what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. I'll help in the decorating stuff and everything."

"We're going to wait for Cyborg for that." Starfire stepped out of his room as she talked and he followed her out, closing the door behind him.

"Okay then, I'll be around if you need me." A familiar glint appeared in Beastboy's green eyes. "I'm gonna plan some tricks, till then." Starfire smiled at him and zoomed away.

She headed straight for Raven's room.

_Knock. Knock._

"Raven?" Starfire was about to knock again when the door opened.

"Come in." Raven said, moving aside. Starfire paused, wondering why Raven seemed so…….unlike her.

"So, Star, what is it?" Raven grinned at her and Starfire sweat-dropped. **_Why is she being so cheery? _**

"Uh….nothing. Happy, happy birthday Raven!"

"Thanks." Raven said, blushing a little and Starfire realized that Raven was trying to act as if she was really happy it was her birthday. Raven must have read the disappointment on her face, for she said:

"It's not that!" she sighed and returned to her normal tone. "I do like celebrating today, it's just that………it's a little difficult getting used to liking it………get what I mean?"

"Don't worry Raven. I'm just glad that you don't mind too much." Starfire grinned back. She understood what Raven felt: happy but amazed that she should be feeling happy.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I've selected a most beautiful dress for you, I'm sure you'll love it!"

"Thanks, but you needn't have taken the trouble Star…." **_Yeah, right…..like that one would persuade her to not buy me a dress the next time…_**

"Raven, will you let me make you up? Oh, please say yes……" Starfire jumped up and down on the balls of her feet.

"Uh…..there really is no need for that………."

"Please! Please say yes"

"……I just need to comb my hair and…….uh……powder my face or something…" Raven sweat dropped. She had never powdered her face.

"Raven, please…." Starfire looked at her beseechingly

"If you really want to….."

"I do! I really want to….."

"Then I suppose…..so" Raven groaned. She didn't want to be made up and if she said so, Starfire would surely be hurt.

"Hurray!" Starfire took Raven's hands and pulled her into a happy little circle-dance that landed her in a heap near the wall.

"Oh, sorry! did I hurt you friend Raven?" Raven took Starfire's extended hand and pulled herself to her feet wincing.

"Nope….I'm fine…ow!"

"Sorry!" Starfire rubbed the back of her neck nervously. Then smiled widely again. "You are going to look so beautiful friend Raven, I promise you."

Raven suddenly had a vision of her wearing a pink dress with pink ribbons to match and covered in rose blush. Feeling slightly ill, she smiled.

"Okay, then. I'll go and see what else can be done. Oh this is going to be really good: we all have got you gifts!"

"Oh!" Raven smiled, this time truly. Who didn't like to receive gifts? "Thank you. You all do too much for me."

"Maybe we do." Said Starfire as she stepped out of Raven's room. "But it's only what you do for us." She took of at that and Raven watched her. Just before she was out of sight, Raven called out to her on a sudden impulse.

"Starfire, what colour is the dress?"

"It is a grey-silver one. It's beautiful, it has roses on it" Starfire disappeared around the corner.

_Silver grey with roses. _Raven suddenly remembered a dream that she had had. She felt the colour drain out of the whole of her body and into her face. **_No way I'm waiting for someone with a wine glass in my hand…….._**

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

i really hope it wasnt all that bad.

like i said, the next one will be good, promise

moonlitpride


	11. Almost ready

**author's note:**

hey, hello everyone...look, just let me speak...okay, i kn u guys must be really pissed with me. my fault, i promised to update ages ago and i didnt, i'm really sorry. will it help if i told you that my laptop got infected with this virus and that mom was really pissed of with me...

okay, forget it and if u can, then forgive me. read on... (ps. this one is short but the next one will be of a decent length,)

Beastboy paced up and down the length of his room. He was wearing a loose, green cargos-pant and a black wide-necked shirt. He was ready. He didn't know why he felt this particular birthday was very important. He felt as if this was the only chance he was going to get to at least get a hint her true feelings for him. He had everything ready. He had decided that he would give her the double chain with only the dagger locket on it and give her the shield separately.

_**"What would she really feel……………"**_

He couldn't still believe that he had accepted so easily that he felt so strongly for her. Well, not exactly so easily but it still surprised him and he was scared. He would rather spend a 100 lifetimes being ignored by Raven than spend one lifetime with the weight of hurting her by suggesting something she would never have even imagined. **_She is first my friend and I'm thankful for that…..we all are._**

The clock told him it was time he got out of his room. Everything was arranged, the Titans had spent the afternoon setting up the place. **_"Try not to mess this one up, Garfield…."_** He paused. He rarely used his real name. Smiling, he slipped out of the room.

………………………………………………………………………………………………...

It was 5.45 and almost all the Titans east had arrived. Bumblebee had already called them to say she would be a little late. The titan-hall was decorated rather foolishly: lots of colored paper, balloons and all that. Robin had insisted they do it this way so that it would be more cheery and childlike. None of them had really had a perfect childhood, far from it; they lived the lives of freaks. But it didn't mean they couldn't try……occasionally.

Speedy was drooling over Cy's stereo system. (He did this every time they had a birthday party.) There were many new titans and other people and the room was already looking crowded and party-ready. Robin was doing a last safe-check of the tower. Beastboy and Cyborg, among many others, were playing a stupid game of seeing who had the strongest nose by trying to stick pieces of paper to their nose. They did this was drawing in huge amounts of air in one go through their noses.

"And….that's 2 minutes for Aqualad……..the new record…."

"Hey, no fair!"

"What was that? ….I counted it fine"

"No way, Cy…I held it for 2.3 minutes." Beastboy bent over the paper bits (which were on the table) and bumped his nose into them.

"…………see?"

"Nope, I don't!" Aqualad grinned at Beastboy who was holding his breath with a Herculean effort. But on seeing that he wasn't giving up anytime soon, Aqualad suddenly stuck out his tongue.

"Waah!" Beastboy fell over in surprise. "….oi, that's cheating you piece of fu….."

"Do you really want Raven to walk in and hear you say that….?" Cyborg said it so quietly but his eyes were twinkling as he helped Beastboy up. Beastboy knew no one else had heard but he couldn't help flushing. Before he could say something, Cyborg cut him:

'Where is Raven, by the way?" he asked loudly. Everyone looked his way and then:

"Yea, where's the Birthday Bird?"

"I want to see Raven………"

From somewhere among them, Robin surfaced. He was wearing a pair of casuals and he scanned the crowd with his trademark frown.

"Starfire…."

"I'm here…….what is it, Robin?"

"Wher……" Robin was temporarily dumbfounded as he saw Starfire. He had helped select the dress for her but he every time he saw her in it, he couldn't help but think how utterly gorgeous she looked. "Where is Raven?" he asked finally. He still was staring at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. She wore a deep blue, spaghetti strings dress with sequins all the way around the hem and in beautiful patterns every where else.

"She is not here yet?"

"No…will you…" he didn't have to complete the sentence.

'I'm going right now" Starfire answered and took to flight.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Dressing up could be great fun, yes real good time. You see yourself in the mirror and you are so happy. **_The thing is, how can I let everyone else see me like this?_** Raven thought as she peered at the mirror in her bathroom. A small voice in her head reminded her that last year she had asked herself the same question…..and the year before. In all good sense, the dress she was wearing was a real beauty. It wasn't exactly like the one in her dream, but quite close. The roses were small, elegant ones that went around the hem and then in ascending circles all the way up to her waist. It was a sleeveless with two straps that were made in the pattern of thorns and roses. She had a lot to thank for: unlike in her dream, the neck of the dress wasn't all that deeply cut and though she looked ravishing she didn't look indecent.

"It's not all that bad…." She said aloud. But she was still unable to move out of the room.

"Of course it's not bad!"

Raven twirled around to see Starfire hovering near the bathroom door. Her amusement was badly camouflaged and she suddenly giggled.

"What's that for?" Raven asked indignantly.

"You are being so silly, friend Raven….you look great, trust me."

"I know it's a good dress okay, but it's just not me….." Raven flared.

"Why do you always come up with that explanation…….we are the Titans, we spend our time wearing costumes and saving the world……I don't think we have had much of an opportunity to realize what we are like on the inside……..especially you, Raven." Starfire turned around, her arms folded across her chest. "If you are so uncomfortable, than you can remove the dress……"

"I wasn't saying…….."

"I wouldn't mind at all, you being my very good friend……."

"…..Hey, now cut that……"

"…..whom I have trusted with my life and have always listened to……"

"……FINE!"

Starfire spun around, her face aglow with joy. "Oh, friend Raven, I knew you would say yes." She threw her arms around Raven and Raven sighed. Why did she let herself go through this?

"Well……let me see….."Starfire drew back and scrutinized Raven with her head to one side. "……what about your hair?"

"What's wrong with it?" Raven asked warily.

"You always wear it like that……maybe if I just……"

"No."

"It'll look nice……." Raven glared at her and she quailed "Of course…..it look great like this also…." Starfire sweat dropped.

They moved towards the door and as Starfire was about to open it, Raven held her back.

"Have many people come?" she asked, a little nervously

"Only the other Titans and a few friends, why?"

"Nothing……I……" Raven took a deep breath.

"It's okay Raven……why do you feel scared? It went well last time……well, okay the socks inside the pudding was most surprising and unwelcome…" Starfire placed a hand on Raven's shoulder.

"It's not that…………I…"Raven didn't know how to express what she felt. She wasn't even sure what it was that she was feeling. She just felt that after this day, things were going to change. She managed a smile at last. She knew that she would soon start enjoying the party, after the first few moments of awkwardness. What will happen will happen, she wasn't going to be able to avert whatever it was when she didn't even know what would happen…or whether it really would happen.

"Raven?"

"Huh?" Raven was startled out of her thoughts. She realized that Starfire was looking worriedly at her.

"Are you alright, friend Raven?"

"Yes." Raven smiled widely at her. "I'm fine. Let's go."

Starfire grinned back happily and taking her hand led her out of the room, almost dragging her with her eagerness. They closed the door behind them and made for the party.

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**author's note:**

i dont know how much to thank all the reviewers...i thought you guys would have given up on this story.

i promise to finish it

moonlitpride


	12. Happy Birthday Raven

**Author's note:**

_"That didn't take as long as earlier to update, did it…….pls, review and tell me how I'm doing so far. I am really grateful for all the reviews so far…..u guys are great!"_

That would have been the line if I could have uploaded the doc. The day I finished it……but my shit laptop suddenly decided to go against uploaded……..i mean, it just keeps me waiting and eventually says that it couldn't upload……I'm so sorry guys……pls forgive me…

My friend is uploading this for me now……..

Have fun

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY**

The Titans' Tower was swinging with the noise and the din which increased ten fold the moment Raven stepped into the party-hall. Everyone cheered loudly, greeting her with screams and shouts. All of them present there didn't know Raven all that well; some hadn't ever met her before. But all of them knew who she was and what she did for the city; all of them knew that she along with the Titans did what they did: save the city, prevent it from falling into trouble.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RAVEN!"

"BIG DAY, TODAY………."

"What took you so long; we were waiting to see the birthday girl……"

The shouts and calls were endless and Raven felt lost. She was half grinning, half smiling at everyone. It took her ages to reach the centre of the hall where the cake and all other stuff was. Every step she took, people interrupted to shake her hand, comment on the dress she wore and hug her. (Not very oddly, a lot of guys seemed to want to give her the "warm birthday hug")

She reached the centre at last feeling very weird and not knowing how exactly to respond to so many people greeting her.

"Raven….good!" Cyborg pulled her into a big bear hug. "Happy Birthday, Rae….you look great."

Raven was taken unawares but she returned the hug with true feeling. Soon Robin and Starfire were hugging her and wishing her and then the Titans East.

"Wow...look who has emerged from the cocoon……" Bumblebee said, having given her a tight hug.

"Uh-huh…" Raven managed a grin, rubbing her very sore ribs. Starfire, especially, was to thank for that. She looked around; everyone was looking expectantly in her direction. Once she cut the cake, the party would truly have started.

"So…what is _little_ Raven's age today…" Aqualad asked and then catching the look on her face, added hastily "…just to know how many birthday-bumps to give you…"

"It's written on the cake!" Starfire said, throwing out her arm to point in that direction.

_WHAP!_

Speedy who had been standing next to her was thrown halfway across the hall.

"OH! I am so very sorry, Speedy…" Starfire apologized, wincing at her own clumsiness while the whole hall roared with laughter. Starfire's super strength and the many side-effects were very popular.

Raven looked around. Almost everyone had greeted her but….but where was Beastboy? It wasn't like him to forget or anything. In fact he was the one who usually greeted people first.

"Where is Beastboy?" she asked Cyborg. Cyborg's lips twitched into a smile but he answered properly.

"He was right here….."

"I am right here!"

Raven jumped a mile when she heard his voice. She turned around to see him standing behind her, smiling happily. He grinned widely when she narrowed her eyes in annoyance.

"Admit it, you were wondering where Beastboy was."

"You should be worried about where you'll be once the party is over and I get my hands on you…." Raven hissed. She had really jumped when he had suddenly appeared behind her.

"Aw, come on Rae, cant a person play a little joke?"

"What's funny about scaring someone to death on her birthday?" Raven pointed at him. "I bet you thought you could get a lot of attention by appearing late and wishing me……which reminds me, you haven't even wished me yet." She turned around in a huff and walked towards the table where the cake was. She was trying her best to act as if everything was normal and that she wasn't affected by Beastboy's presence. _**Maybe I'm over doing it…..**_

"Ready to cut the cake?" Robin was holding out a pretty little knife with a ribbon on it.. Raven looked at it suspiciously. Last year, the knife had got stuck to her hand and hadn't come off for nearly a week. She had used her powers in the end to unstick it. Raven suddenly remembered what had happened earlier with Beastboy and the can that had got glued to his hands.

She shook herself out of it and hurriedly took the knife from Robin's hand. Starfire removed the cake from the box and placed it on the table. It was a huge chocolate one, Black-forest actually and had the words '_Happy Birthday Raven, sexy powerful, you go Titan'_

"Do you like it, friend Raven?" Starfire was almost jumping up and down with joy.

"I….." Raven's voice caught in her throat. It was a very simple message but it made her feel very very happy to be surrounded by people she could call friends. "….its beautiful." She said, her voice almost inaudible.

"Well, then what we you waiting for….."Cyborg's voice suddenly boomed across the room. "EVERYBODY, OVER HERE! RAVEN'S CUTTING THE CAKE!"

Heads turned and the noise rose an octave as everyone cheered and encouraged her to go ahead.

Raven held the knife over the cake and suddenly she was reminded of many things and memories flashed like pictures in front of her eyes. All the times she had snubbed the Titans, all the times she had hurt them, everything. Her hand shook as she lowered the knife to the cake. She knew it wasn't right, that she deserved this kind of love and affection, but she just couldn't convince the voices in her head.

"Hey"

Raven turned her head to see Beastboy standing just behind her. He was looking right into her eyes and she realized that he had guessed the source of her discomfort. He smiled at her and said in a very low voice that only she could hear:

"Raven. Cut the cake. I'm hungry." His smile widened but his eyes never left hers and Raven felt his fingers wrap themselves around her hand and she realized that she was cutting the cake…or rather, Beastboy was.

Her hand was now steady and she felt Beastboy's hand withdraw. She cut out a little cake piece as the whole room cheered and held it to the Titans, as if offering them the first bite. Cyborg leaped forward only to be pushed back by Starfire who was in turn pushed out of the way by Robin. Beastboy elbowed Robin.

"There…" Raven held the cake to Beastboy's face and just as he was going to bite it, she withdrew and bit into the cake. Beastboy howled.

"Not fair….."

Raven grinned and then she started passing on the cake to everyone. The others joined her. Raven was calm and cheerful as the cake was being distributed but her heart was still hammering inside her. She could still feel Beastboy's fingers curled around hers, she could still hear his voice and she couldn't forget the look in his eyes when he had held her hand.

_**He was just craving for the cake, that's it……….**_but try as she did, she couldn't deny that what she had seen in his eyes was pure affection. And why wouldn't it be, she was his friend. _**But is that all…………..**_

"Raven!"

"Huh…." Raven realized that bumblebee was trying to tell her something.

"Daydreamin'? About whom?" Bumblebee winked at her. "Look what I have for you." She handed Raven a small packet that was wrapped with a ribbon.

Raven pulled the Ribbon and Bumblebee promptly pulled the packet out of her hands. Raven looked up in amazement.

"You don't open it now!" Bumble sighed. "It's for later…." She handed it back to Raven and disappeared into the throng of bodies that were slowly starting to pick up the beat. Cyborg had turned on his music system.

Raven put the packet away. (Underneath the table, to be precise) and just as she was wondering what to do with herself, someone called out her name.

"Raven?"

"Yea…"

"Hi…..I am Curt, new member of the Titans-united." It was a tall boy who was speaking. He was blond and had sea-blue eyes that sparkled brightly at her. "Happy Birthday"

"Thanks." Raven smiled nervously at him. _**Cute kid………**_

"Wanna dance?" He grinned at her and Raven felt like sinking right through the floor. Sure he was really cute and all that but Raven just didn't feel up to dancing.

"Um…"

"Great!" he took her hand and pulled to the dance floor. Raven felt his hand slip around her waist and soon they were moving in small circles.

Raven broke into a slight sweat. If it would have been someone else who was having his arm around her waist, he would probably be experiencing the afterlife by now. Raven felt her mind in a condition of unending freeze. She knew that the moment she came up with a reason to not put up with this, she could back out of the dance. And there was a reason too, but accepting it was something she found very difficult and so she let herself be steered around for a while.

They stopped as the music died down and before the next song could start, she phased herself to the other end of the hall. She backed up to the wall and leaned against it, watching almost everyone else having a great time.

It was not that she wasn't enjoying or anything. In fact she felt very happy and content as she watched them all laugh and scream and move their bodies to the beats of the songs Cyborg was playing. She saw Bumblebee walk over to Cyborg and after a few minutes, they both were on the dance floor together. Raven smiled.

After a while, feeling her tummy rumble, she went over to the table with all the food on it and grabbed a cake and some chips. She finished it quickly or as quickly as one could when being interrupted a hundred times by friends and others all shaking her hand and handing her gifts. When she got herself a glass of coke, and so another ten people moving towards her, she realized it was time to go. _**At least till I finish the drink…..**_ Without thinking, she vanished and reappeared on the top on the titans' tower. She was on the roof. Even as she raised the glass to her lips she was reminded of the dream that she had had. She froze.

All good senses told her that she should leave but she didn't. She was curious. Fate had led her here after all. She might as well hang around a little longer and see what would happen.

_**Curiosity kills the cat, Raven………but I am not a cat.**_

She leaned against the nearest wall and sipped the cool drink and waited. _**But for what am I waiting………..**_

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**Author's note:**

Well, how was it? Of PLS pls let me know……..I'm leading it slowly to where I want the story to go and I need your reviews.

Love ye all


	13. Waiting

**Author's note:**

Told ya I would make it better next time……..I really hope you guys like this chapter because it's the one that is going to speed up the chemistry between Raven and BB. Oh and there's another person too….AND I LOVE YOU REVIEWERS!

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Beastboy's usually smiling face was straight and thoughtful. He was even frowning ever so slightly. It wasn't that he was angry or irritated, he was just confused.

A huge part of his heart was so happy, that he thought it might explode. But a small, ant-sized part in him was scared of accepting and embracing this joy. _**But the way………………..the way she looked at me…….**_

He had purposely delayed in greeting her when she had come into the party hall. He had known that she would eventually notice and wonder. But the way her voice had changed when she had asked Cyborg was almost as if she was angry at herself for wanting to know.

Beastboy hadn't lived under the same roof with the Titans to know enough about each one of them that people outside the Tower didn't. There would be no reason for Raven to be angry with herself for wanting to find out about him if she thought of him as _only a friend._

_**Am I hoping for more than I deserve?**_

_**But what about the way she had looked when I held her hand…………….is that how she had always looked at me?**_

He jerked himself out of his thoughts and his eyes searched the room for her. As he had expected, she was nowhere to be seen. She had, like last time, wandered off halfway. He knew no one took offence at the birthday-girl not being present half the time. After all, this was Raven they were talking about.

Beastboy disappeared in the blink of an eye.

A small, surprisingly agile green lizard made its way up the wall and to the door. It turned to look at the crowded room once before disappearing around the corner.

_**...Where do we go to when we feel the need for a little peace and calm…..where would Raven go?……….The young moon would just be visible in the blue evening sky, if I was standing on the Tower top……………..**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Robin was dancing with Starfire, his arm around her waist. They were moving happily to the music and Robin smiled. He remembered how it had been trying to teach Starfire the way humans dance. Her one particular pirouette and return to his arms had broken 5 ribs. His ribs, that is……..

"This is fun, Robin, what a pity we cannot have a birthday party everyday." Starfire whispered into his ear. He nudged her neck with his nose and she giggled softly.

"You'll get fed up of it…….." he said "……imagine having to arrange everything everyday."

"But it's nice to see so many people happy, and Raven especially."

"That it is. Tell me, Star…..you were saying something about planning a chocolate surprise for Raven…..was it just the cake?"

"Oh….hehe! No, there's more coming."

"Ok-ay" Robin had his left eyebrow up. He wasn't as surprised at what she said as he was at the way she said it. Her idiomatic English sure had improved. "So, gonna tell me what?"

Starfire smiled at him, a naughty look coming into her eyes. "Yes, but on one condition………."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The moon was a perfect crescent in the sky and Raven could already see two-three stars, dull but visible. A gentle wind rustled the folds of her dress and she drew in a long, peaceful breath. She sighed and closed her eyes. She felt a mad desire to dance on the terrace where she was all alone.

_**Such a beautiful day……….. **_She was suddenly reminded of a song she had heard once.

…_and then you came my way_

_Wanna dance with me_

_And now you're here to stay_

_Come dance with me_

_You'll never leave my heart_

_So, please dance with me_

_Such a beautiful day_

_Please take my hand and… _

_'Cos it's such a beautiful day_

…_Wrap your self in my arms_

_And I wanna hear you say_

_That you'll dance with me….._

Even without realizing, she was singing under her breath and she suddenly took a step forward, spreading her arms. Her eyes were closed and she was lost in the bliss of the night as she twirled and moved in circles to the tune of the song. If she was even a little bit conscious of what she was doing and her surroundings, she would have thought she was going mad.

She would have, perhaps, even heard the almost silent footsteps that approached closer and closer until……..

"HUH!"

A muffled thump was heard as she collided into something, or someone. Her eyes shot open and she took many steps back before she focused on who she had bumped into. She blinked in surprise and didn't acknowledge the feeling of something not being right.

"Sorry to startle you like that, I was just wondering where you might be…" Curt smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling.

"I….what, aren't you supposed to be downstairs?" Raven managed. She didn't know what to say, though she had a pretty good idea why he had come looking for her.

"I don't really enjoy parties so much….too much loud music to my liking." He winked at her and then took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "It really is a beautiful day……"

"Yes…how…" Raven stopped abruptly when he suddenly took many steps closer to her so that she could see herself reflected in his eyes. Raven wasn't intimidated. Not in the least. But the fact remained that she didn't want to hurt him and she didn't want to create a scene either.

"Listen, Curt…I don't think you realize that……" she was cut off as he pressed his lips to hers; his arm had slipped around her waist and was holding her in place. Raven was so shocked that she didn't even bother to use her powers. She pushed him off her fiercely.

"How Dare……." Once again, she wasn't able to complete her sentence. She was suddenly struck by how unaffected he looked. A lock of his beautiful, blond hair had fallen over the right side of his face, covering his right eye; he was smiling ever so slightly.

Raven's eyes widened in slow realization.

"What's the matter, _my little Raven?"_

"Sl…..Slade?" Raven's voice trembled as she said his name. She still wasn't afraid but she was so shocked and it hit her like a brick in her face: _**Slade….he kissed me….**_She took a step backward and then remembered that she wasn't wearing her titan's costume. Cyborg had installed body temperature-pressure meters to them; a small chip that sent out a big alarm.

If she had had that on, the Tower would have been ringing by now. It was an extra safety measure in case a Titan wasn't in a position to call for help.

"_Why Raven, aren't you going to call for help_?" Slade's voice was now silky and soft with the strong undertone of power that was trademark of him.

Raven's eyes flashed black for a second. "Go away, Slade." Her voice was monotonous and without emotion, as was her face.

"_So soon…the party is only half over Raven, but I see you're not interested in celebrating_ _with the rest, understandably_……"

"How did you get past the……"Raven's eyes narrowed and she suddenly lunged at him, summoning her black energy. Slade skipped out of the way but not fast enough: the blast caught his leg. Ripples of mild electric current ran over his body and a second later he was standing in his usual outfit, orange mask and all. The blast didn't seem to have done much damage otherwise.

"An illusion!" Raven sneered. She could feel her blood boiling over as pure rage coursed through her veins. The initial shock and surprise that he had kissed her had been replaced by fury at the act.

"_It_ _worked…nothing sophisticated needed to fool the Titans_" he grinned at her and his voice changed into the pleasant voice of Curt "Especially you, _Raven_"

She attacked again, very angry. But this time it was for a different reason. He kept using her name in each sentence and the way he said it sent little shivers up her spine. He dodged every attack neatly and with ease and Raven was soon short of breath. She knew that it was impossible to kill Slade. It was an unsaid agreement. The Titans would fight Slade, they would defeat Slade, they would thwart him but they would never kill him. They couldn't, and he couldn't kill them either……or he just wouldn't.

Slade would hurt them, endanger them, leave them to die……but somehow, at the end of the day they turned up alive.

_**Which is why he is such a formidable enemy…**_

Raven sent a blast his way and he ducked in order to dodge it. She was expecting it and she executed a low kick which would have caught him in the jaw had he not blocked the attack with his hand. He rolled over and it seemed for a moment that he had lost balance but then he pulled her down and before Raven knew it he was on top of her, pinning her arms and legs to the cold rooftop with his own.

"You don't listen at all, do you….Raven?" he breathed, all emotion being expressed only through his voice. The one eye in his mask was fixed on her angry and worried dark orbs.

Raven tried to throw him off but he tightened his hold on her, almost sneering at the futile attempt. "What's the hurry, my Ra……?"

But she didn't let him complete it. Her eyes glowed black without warning and he was thrown off her with such force that he landed a good ten feet away. She was on her feet even as he was starting to get up.

She was nowhere near giving up but she had a feeling he was enjoying this.

"You're too hasty…." Slade picked himself off the ground, facing her. "….all I need is a little help…"

"Well that's a new one….'help'…..Slade asking the titans for help…" Raven felt dangerously close to loosing control over her fury, something that hadn't happened in a long time. "You really think that's a good excuse?"

"Well, it's either asking for help and getting it or helping myself……" Slade voice dropped an octave but she could still catch the last few words. "….right here and now…"

Raven's eyes narrowed. "What…"

He was over to her in the fraction of a second. "Don't play dumb……Raven, I know that it's the Titans who are holding Control Freak…"

"Control….." Raven suddenly had a horrible doubt. "…Why do you want Control Freak and why are you asking me……"

"You know why…where do you think Control Freak got the idea for that fancy gun of his?"

Raven's eyes widened in realization. A similar thing had happened when Slade had had them blasted. Well, they didn't have nightmares and all that, but the gun with stuff that could manipulate you from within did sound like Slade.

"You gave him the gun…." Her fist glowed black for another blast.

"Yes and no"

"I….what?" Raven lowered her fist. She glared at him. "Don't tell me…."

"It was nothing great…I had given it to him to use it on you Titans but later on…." Slade paused, something very unusual for him "…later on, he used it on me"

Raven couldn't believe her ears. "You really think Robin will hand over the gun to you?" she knew for one that the blast-gun itself was needed to undo the blast effect. She rose into the air and fired at him. He moved out of the way and lunged at her. They were back to fighting.

"Well it's either that…" he threw a couple of small detonators at her and she moved to the left in order to avoid them "….or, you'll find yourself helping me……"

Raven froze in midair. She suddenly understood. When she had been blasted by the gun, it had triggered thoughts that she usually pushed to the very darkest corner of her mind. Slade was going through the same thing now…._**and….and the desire awakened in him….he wants me! **_She was shaken and disgusted at the very idea.

She was too dumbstruck to even say anything in return and she drifted down.

"You're not as dumb as you look…" Slade was suddenly behind her and she felt something prick her neck. She whipped around but too late: Slade was holding something small and pointed in his hand.

"I'm not a fool to raid the Titan's tower just to find that silly gun. Just hand it over to me…."

Raven felt a weird heat wave run the length of her body and she sank to her knees. Her legs were shaking and she started sweating profusely. Whatever it was that he had injected into her was starting to act up.

"Don't worry…"

Raven felt his unsympathetic gaze directed at her and she looked up, still shaking. He walked to her and knelt beside her. "That little prick is just insurance…" he lifted her chin roughly. "…just in case the Titans don't hand over the gun." His fingers skimmed over her lips as he talked. "I have the antidote with me, if within 24 hours I don't receive the gun, then you'll be walking over to me, whether you like it or not……" saying that, he pulled her up with him.

He seemed to be about to say something more but stopped. "Looks like one of your friends is here..." Raven heard the terrace door creaking open. She was still immobilized and very weak and was only standing up because Slade was supporting her.

"You…wont…get…away…" she was talking through gritted teeth. He smiled at her and then once again, pressed his lips to hers. Raven couldn't even protest. She heard footsteps approaching at a slow pace and then speeding up.

Slade was kissing her fiercely and she winced when he bit down on her lip.

"Hey….What…" Raven recognized the voice as Beastboy's and her heart sank. He was running up to them but before he could reach, Slade had pulled away and was gone in the blink of an eye with only four more words. Raven sank down again; her legs couldn't support her yet, but before she hit the ground, Beastboy caught her and helped her stand.

"Raven…..Raven, are you hurt?" she could hear the fear in his voice but didn't register it. She wavered and he tightened his arms around her. She didn't even blink as he sat her on the floor of the roof, sliding down with her.

"Raven! Please say something…" she didn't look at him, she couldn't bring herself to. Slade's words were still ringing in her ear.

_**"…I'll be waiting, Raven…"**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Author's note:

Well, please tell me you guys liked it……….and if it was disappointing, then please let me know that too, so I can make it better…..

Love ya

MoonLitPride


	14. 24 hours I

**Author's note **

Okay, here it is….the one step-further-chapter. This one is quite long and I'm sorry if that's an inconvenience…I just couldn't stop, it would have cut the flow…

I really hope you guys like this chapter, I took great pains to write it and I know that most of you will say that it's very out of character…I know it is….but I thought, come on, if they were to get together, they were going to have to change….

Okay, I know I'm talking too much here; it's just a simple chapter…promise to do better next time…

moonlitpride

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

There are times in life when every worst nightmare imaginable seems to start coming true. Beastboy mind was buzzing so loudly, he couldn't hear his own thoughts. Wave after wave of panic washed through him and his breathing was shallow and labored as he fought to keep whatever rational thought he had.

He didn't know what had happened here on the terrace, he had been in time to just catch Slade escaping. He didn't know why Raven wasn't responding to his urgent questions. He couldn't really tell if she was hurt or whether just in a state of shock. The worst part was he knew that Slade had done something to her; he had seen him hold her.

Beastboy was crouching at Raven's side, holding her to his chest.

"Raven….please answer me! Are you hurt…….." Beastboy ran his fingers through his hair in desperation. He knew he had to alert the rest of the Titans. He pulled out his communicator from his pocket. He didn't press the emergency button which would set the whole tower ringing. Instead, he punched in Robin's code and waited for him to pick up.

Robin answered on the second ring.

"Robin..." Beastboy paused. If he even mentioned Slade's name on the communicator, he knew that Robin would get tense. Sure he wasn't as obsessed with Slade as he once had been, but Robin still did loath him.

_"BB, is something wrong….?" _

Beastboy cursed. Trust Robin to smell trouble in the pause of a conversation. Then again, he wasn't leader for nothing.

"Come to the roof, bring Cy with you" Beastboy answered finally.

_"What happened?" _

"Just come...no need to…to alert anyone else."

_"…Okay, we're there…." _

Beastboy put the communicator away and turned his attention to Raven once more. Her breathing was returning to normal and she looked at him, her face emotionless.

"Raven…are you alright" he was still holding her and she moved a little. Beastboy loosened his hold on her and watched as she supported her weight with her hands. She seemed to be recovering.

"I'm fine…"

Beastboy let out a small breath in relief.

"...I think…."

"What…..what happened?" now that she seemed to be able to hear him and was responding normally, Beastboy was suddenly hesitant about asking her whether Slade had done something…..

Raven didn't reply immediately. She took a deep, unsteady breath and opened her mouth to answer when the door to the roof slammed open and Robin marched in, followed by Cyborg.

They were beside Raven in a second. They both crouched beside Raven and started asking her questions.

"Raven, you okay, girl?" Cyborg picked her up as he spoke. Robin and Beastboy got up with him.

"What happened?" Robin asked, his voice was full of dread. When Raven didn't reply, he turned to Beastboy.

"I don't know…..Slade was here…" Beastboy winced as he said these words but Robin was oddly calm.

"Let's get her in…."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

They were all assembled in the common room. The digital clock said there were exactly 5 minutes to 11pm. The party hall was empty; the last guest had left 45minutes ago. Raven was holding a cup of very strong tea, the fifth one so far if you bothered to count. None of them were exactly in the mood for counting, anyway.

Cyborg had run system checks on her and declared her unhurt after which Robin had started asking her what had happened. Raven told them just what they had to know: Slade had given her a shot of something that only he had the antidote to. If they didn't hand over the gun in 24hrs, she would be in his control.

Raven hadn't elaborated much and for some reason Beastboy hadn't said anything. Robin wasn't exactly dumb though, he knew there was more and it was obvious that he had a horrible doubt about what kind of control Slade would have on her. He didn't press her for details, though.

Starfire was in a very bad mood, she couldn't believe that Raven's Birthday had been spoiled by something like this. She was currently telling the ceiling exactly what she would do to Slade when she found him.

Cyborg broke the silence (or what was left of it if you removed Starfire's yelling). "Well, are we gonna give that bastard what he wants?"

"There isn't much of a choice, is there…" Beastboy said. He looked at Raven questioningly. She ignored him and turned to Robin.

"You don't have to if you think it's a trick, which it….it most probably is" She said.

"But, friend Raven…."Starfire stopped her yelling and moved to Raven's side

"Cy, when will the test results come?" Robin asked Cyborg. A sample of Raven's blood was currently being tested in the most sophisticated lab in the world: Cyborg's

mini-medic room.

"An hour more…" Cyborg grunted. Everyone save Raven was looking at Robin, waiting for him to say something about what they would do. They all knew they were going to hand over the gun. Sure Cyborg was a genius but when Slade decided to hit you, there wasn't much anybody could do. They had earlier been able to cure themselves of the nanobots in their blood but Cyborg had immediately established that whatever was in Raven's system now wasn't anything that could be removed easily.

"I…..I know what you're all thinking…" Robin spoke up finally."Perhaps the Robin of yesterday would have been foolish enough to think that he could outsmart Slade when a friend was in risk……..I wont say that I don't care if Slade gets away with this…I do care, I….just……in 24….20hrs time, if we don't find a cure, then we hand over the gun."

"Robin…" Raven felt as if something was stuck in her throat.

She had known that Robin would say so; there wasn't any alternative and no question of letting a Titan be a bait for too long. But she also felt something else, something she couldn't express, something that had started working in her, not unlike a chain reaction, from the moment Slade's treacherous lips had touched her.

"Were you expecting me to say something else….." Robin masked eyes conveyed what words couldn't have. "…I know that I'm not a ….."

"Shut up!" Raven said savagely. She was finding it difficult to breathe and she didn't know whether it was because of her emotions or because of Slade's injection.

"I can read your mind you know, and anyway, I don't need to know what goes on in your head to know what you'll do in a situation like this….after all, you are a friend."

That was an extremely long speech for Raven and very out of character. Starfire smiled and threw her arms around Raven.

"I love you, my friend" she squealed as she held an arm out for Cyborg which he took, pulling both of them into a big bear hug.

Robin hesitated for a minute and then put an arm around Raven hugging her briefly but warmly.

Raven gave a watery grin, looking over Starfire's shoulder. Nobody mistook it for emotion and everyone understood it to be at least two bruised rib muscles. It was a day of terrible, out of character events for all of them, especially Raven and before she could stop herself, she said:

"Won't you give me a hug, Beastboy?"

Time has a way of going excruciatingly slow such moments. Starfire visibly loosened her arms around Raven, Cyborg looked away, maybe to hide the small grin tugging at his lips and Robin smiled. Raven was in a state of self imposed freeze. She couldn't believe she had just said that. **_Did I just ask him to hug me….._**

Before Beastboy could move or answer, a small button on Cyborg's arm started glowing red making a big "_BEEP_"

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Starfire was glaring at Cyborg and Raven was wishing she could sink through the floor, which she could and would have done, had she not caught the look on Cyborg's face.

"This is bad…" the grin had vanished from his face faster than Tofu vanished from Beastboy's plate."Her results have come."

"So soon?" Robin perked up an eyebrow

"Yea….it says she perfectly normal and healthy except for one thing. A particular series of auto-inhibitors have become deactivated in her body and in response to outside stimuli her hormones are being channeled to the polar nerves of….." Cyborg glanced up from his readings to find 4 pairs of very confused eyes looking back at him as if he had just turned turtle and spoken in dog-language.

"Uh….none of you got that right?" he asked slowly. They all shook their heads. Cyborg sighed and said. "Slade was right. We don't give her antidote in a couple of hours, things could get very bad."

"What that does mean….hey, Raven, wait!"

Raven was in the process of phasing through the wall. "I need to meditate" she replied, before disappearing from sight. Cyborg cursed and Beastboy looked down.

"Will…she be alright?" Starfire asked, very worried. "Maybe I should talk to her…"

"No, let her be. She's right, she should concentrate her powers. Just in case something goes wrong…" Robin rubbed his brow, looking tired. "Starfire, why don't you see about that surprise thing you wanted to give Raven. You could collect some of the better gifts too and then go to her."

Starfire nodded. She knew she wasn't being pushed away or given a less important thing to do. She had also realized, a spilt second after Robin had spoken, that he wanted Beastboy to go to Raven. It was the right thing to do.

"Cy, come with me, we'll research this…thing that that motherfucker Slade pumped her with…" Robin turned to Beastboy. "…Check on her will you, BB…"

"I thought…" His voice was unsure "…she needed to meditate…"

"You really think she'll be able to concentrate now, however hard she tries?" Robin said quietly as he walked to the door.

Beastboy and Cyborg were left alone for a few seconds after which Cyborg turned to leave as well.

"Dude, I think you should go too…" Cyborg said, stopping at the door. He spoke so softly that Beastboy just caught what he said.

The changeling looked at him and maybe he saw the truth reflected in his friend's eyes or maybe he saw the sense in what he had said, he nodded silently.

****

****

****

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Beastboy was in a state of mental numbness. He knew he should be feeling something, anger, hate, hunger to hunt down Slade. But all he could feel was a weird numbness. And he knew why. He couldn't bear to think about what this whole thing would do to Raven, the effect it would have on her.

Raven was only now opening up to all of them, getting more confident and feeling less responsible for the woes of the world.

She didn't pull herself into a shell just because she was born with a dark prophecy hanging over her neck. **_At least, not anymore. _**

He knew that many men had tried to take advantage of her, father included. All of them had failed; most of them were either injured or dead. But that wasn't going to change the way she saw herself and he knew that.

Beastboy turned the corner and paused. Halfway down this hallway was Raven's room. He sighed and continued walking towards it. Even as he reached, he realized that she wasn't in her room.

He knocked anyway, ignoring his animal senses. No reply. He pushed the door gently and it swung open, revealing an empty room. **_Since when did Raven leave her door unlocked…? _**

He knew there were only two other places she liked to visit. One was the roof and he knew she wasn't going to be found there this particular night. The other was the foot of the Tower. Beastboy had once seen her sitting by the water that surrounded the small island that the Titans called home.

He walked up to the window at the end of the hallway, opened it and transforming into a bat, swooped down.

He was soon on the grass that grew all around the tower, on the little land. He had landed on the other side of the tower. Raven would probably be near the entrance door. He wondered whether he would find her there after all. Psychic that she was, she could easily avoid him if she wished to. He was walking as he was thinking and then he saw her. His heart skipped a beat and he felt the sorrow radiate off her. She was sitting by the stones, her legs barely touching the water.

He knew that she was aware of his presence, though she didn't turn to look at him. He sat down, beside her, wishing her knew what he should say to comfort her. The breeze that had been gentle a few hours ago was now quite strong.

Nobody said anything for a few minutes and then Raven spoke, her head still turned away from him.

"What are you doing here, Beastboy?" she didn't sound angry, or irritated, or sad; nothing. Her voice was flat.

"I don't know, sitting beside you…" Beastboy was only half joking and Raven turned to glare at him. Then she looked away.

"I'm okay, you don't have to, you know…." Her voice sounded so distant that Beastboy suddenly felt all that he hadn't been able to feel for the past few hours.

"You're not." He said

"What…"

"You're not okay, but you'll be soon, that's a promise." Beastboy sighed and Raven looked at him. Her face was blank and she smiled.

"It's not as bad as you think…." When he raised an eyebrow, she added hastily "…okay, so it is bad…and I feel terrible…"

"…Raven!"

"…and I know I'll be alright, I know that everything will be fine…"

"Then…what's wrong?" he asked her, trying desperately to keep her talking.

She didn't answer for a while. Then she said "if there's a wound on your hand that keeps healing and reopening, does it make bearing the pain any better?"

Beastboy didn't know what to say to that, so he said the first thing that came to his mind. "Is there a wound on your hand?"

This earned him such a big glare that he grinned sheepishly. Then he sobered up and said quietly. "You can tell me anything, you know…"

When she didn't respond, he moved closer and tilted her face up gently. "Raven, look at me…"

She fixed her eyes on his defiantly for a moment and then closed her eyes. "I'm scared."

The blankness, the emptiness had disappeared to be replaced by pain and anger.

He didn't say anything, encouraging her to continue talking.

"…I…when Trigon had risen, and Slade had been assigned to deliver the message….I, I had felt that…that he would…" her tone changed from sad to angry "…and now, he dares….he dares to come and…"

"I know…" Beastboy's heart was beating so fast, it felt painful against his ribcage. "I…saw him…"

Raven cringed visibly and drew away from him ever so slightly. She was still wearing her sleeveless birthday dress and she wrapped her arms around herself, using her palms and rubbing her arms against the wind. Unconsciously, Beastboy drew her to him, putting his arm around her. He was unnerved by the way she seemed to be so close to breaking and he knew no other way to comfort her. She froze, her body as stiff as a pole against his.

"Hey, relax……" Beastboy said softly, holding her lightly but close enough for her to feel the warmth of his body. "Robin and Cy are working on that thing Slade injected you with. If they don't find a cure, then we're going to hand the gun to Slade and make sure he gives us the right antidote."

"And….and, if something goes wrong…." She asked, barely audible over the sound of the wind and the water lapping at their feet.

He looked down at her. She was so beautiful. "Then we kick his butt and get the antidote anyway…" he grinned at her and she smiled back, a rare smile. Then she narrowed her eyes.

"You're being _very_ grown up, Beastboy…"

Beastboy laughed "I am grown up…in fact, like I once earlier said, its time to call me The Great BEASTMAN!"

Raven scowled at him before reverting to seriousness. "Why are you doing this, just to make me feel better…putting it on?" she was talking to him but her eyes were focused on something distant.

"If I am…then am I a good actor?" he asked quietly, smiling at her. He sighed and continued. "However, I am not…but if you wish I could just trip over my feet and have us both in the water in less then 3 seconds…"

Raven looked at him and he could almost feel the battle in her head: should I clobber him or do I laugh.

"You can't trip while you're sitting" she said finally and then groaned, pushing him away from her. Beastboy sighed in despair. Stating the very obvious was the best way to ruin a joke and she knew it.

"Well…that's the whole point…" he muttered

Raven was looking at him with one eye closed, a painfully shameful expression plastered on her face. Even she realized that that was an extremely dumb thing to say. Beastboy couldn't tear his face away from hers. She rarely expressed herself in such ways and she looked so cute; he felt he would melt if he didn't say something quickly.

The wind was quite forceful now and Raven got up suddenly.

"It's chilly here…" she held out a hand which he took and pulled himself up."Besides, I'm hungry…"

"Anyone would be, if they starved themselves, especially on a birthday."

"Whatever…" she was starting to move towards the tower when Beastboy remembered something.

"Raven, wait."

She looked at him questioningly. He stepped up to her and grinned, feeling slightly nervous.

"I have something for you…" he scratched the back of his neck as he spoke but stopped the moment a frown appeared on her face. **_Right, no signs of goofing-up…. _**

****

"I really didn't know what you would like as a gift…I mean, sure there are books and music-CDs and all that….but I thought that you would already be getting those…."

"Beastboy, just hand it over, I'm dying of suspense here" she said dryly but he could see the very slight blush that was creeping up her lovely neck.

Beastboy put his hand in his pocket and removed the small box. He had made a slight change to the chains, made them thick enough to be worn as an elegant waist band. The jeweler-designer owned the Titans (not one but many) and had gladly agreed.

Raven held out her hand and he placed the unassuming box on her palm. She looked at him curiously, all pretence abandoned.

"What is it…?"

"Chee, I don't know….maybe if we open it, we may find out…"

She glared at him and then returned her attention to the box. Pulling of the dainty purple ribbon she took of the lid slowly and drew out the smooth, shiny chain. He could see the reflection of the chain in her eyes, the lights dancing in them. She didn't say anything as she held the chain in her hands.

"There's something else…." He muttered, pointing to the box. Wordlessly, she took out the two lockets and examined them: A shield and a sword. Small, but strong and exquisitely crafted.

She looked up at him suddenly, her face blank. Because she wasn't saying anything and because he was dying to know whether she liked it, he started talking again.

"…the chain is long; you can have it around your waist, or around your neck. If not, roll it up a couple of times and wear it around your wrist…or as an anklet…" Beastboy paused. "…the shield and sword are for the protecting and fighting you do……happy birthday, Rae."

She turned around without warning, holding the chain over her shoulder. For a horrible second he thought she was refusing it, until she lifted her short hair, exposing the back of her neck. He was startled by the action but didn't say anything. Unhooking the chain, he strung both the pendants onto it and slid it around her neck. He hooked it in place, disturbed by her silence. **_Maybe she doesn't like it and is trying to be nice and not show it…… _**

****

Since he had had to wrap the chain around her neck, he had slipped his arm around her, under her chin and to her back. As he pulled his hand away, it brushed her lower cheek and he was shocked to find it wet.

"Raven!" he pulled her around to face him. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to….i didn't mean to get you disturbed…"

She shook herself free from his grasp and looked at him, her ebony eyes glaring at him.

"I'm not crying…"She winced as she said this. She hated saying that word. "…because I was hurt…or touched or anything." She was quickly regaining herself and Beastboy, though relieved, was anxious to hear what she had to say.

"Was it that bad a gift?" he asked her, purposefully flattening his ears against his head.

"No!" she replied quickly. "I…just…" Raven sighed. "…I don't think I deserve…"

Beastboy could have hit himself on the head at that moment. "I think you do…" he said firmly."…which is why I spent nearly half a month getting it ready." He was lying, it had taken him a little over 2 months to decide on a gift it self.

She didn't say anything for a few moments. Then, "How am I going to wear it on my leotard?"

"I didn't think of that…." He said, walking towards the door. "…you can't wear it over the leotard….no other way; you're going to have to wear something else…"

"Beastboy…"

"I think we should go shopping, how about now…."

"…I'm warning you…"

They were inside the tower now and without any notification, she teleported them both to the corridor leading to her room. they were soon outside her room. Beastboy coughed pointedly.

"I'm guessing you're going to invite me inside…'

"No…keep guessing."

She opened the door but before she could step in, he pulled her back. "You usually thank the person after he/she hands you a gift, you know…."

"I would have normally stuffed the gift up the….well…"

"Why is that?" he asked leaning against the wall and he was sure he caught something in her eye…he couldn't tell what, though.

"In case you didn't, notice, _Mr. Beastman_, I don't fancy jewelry." She said, rolling her eyes.

"Then why are you still wearing the chain…"

"Because I haven't had opportunity to remove it yet…" she knocked his head with her knuckles lightly."Or maybe because this one is different…"

"So…"Beastboy's heart picked up speed."…you like it?"

"…and I have always wanted to have an anklet…"

"Since when have anklets stopped coming under the category of jewelry?" he asked, but relief was flooding him and his heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

"Well…" Raven stepped inside her room, her hand on the door. She was grinning at him. "…anklets are favored by the people of Azarath as a power-channeling accessory." She closed the door in his face.

Grinning, he moved to walk away to his room when she called out from behind the closed door.

"Oh…and one more thing, Beastboy, thank you!"

If it was possible, his grin grew wider and he resisted the urge to jump up and hit the air in joy. Pity the tower had cameras in every nook and cranny.

"Don't be too happy…." Raven's voice came over from behind the door. Beastboy just waved and kept walking.

**_Happy? Oh no, he wasn't happy, nope, not at all…who said anything about being happy, that grin was just toothache…._**He turned the corner and gave in to the urge of pumping the air.**_ You're welcome anytime, my Raven… _**

**Author's note: **

Please….you know what I'm gonna say, I really need to know whether you guys liked this chapter or not….I'm willing to take corrections…pls, pls….

moonlitpride

………………………………………………………………………………………………………


	15. 24 hours II

**Time out: **

They tried everything. Everything that could be tried within the time limit they had. But even Robin had to admit it was bad when a certain multibillionaire himself had tried and used every last resource of Wayne Industries and had come up with nothing. They were going to have to hand over the gun.

This itself hardly bothered the Titans. It was not like they had any special affection for that gun or anything. There was only one thing on all their minds: what if Slade didn't hand over the antidote in the end, what if the antidote didn't even exist?

Robin was slumped over a cup of very strong coffee. Cyborg was pacing up and down and Starfire, Raven and Beastboy were nowhere to be seen. It was 8 in the morning and they had more or less 12 hours to go.

"I mean, if he does give the antidote…..that's good…..but what if it isn't the right one…..he may have a grudge against Raven…."

"I don't think so…" Robin sighed and drained the mug of coffee in one gulp. He reached out to the coffee-pot for more.

"Why not….after Trigon not keeping his promise to Slade….and you really shouldn't drink any more coffee…"

Robin groaned and threw the pot, along with its contents into the bin. It crashed against the wall, shattering.

"…wise move…whose duty is it this week?" Cyborg looked at Robin, his expression unreadable. Sometimes, it was easy to forget how hard a life all of them had had to reach where they were now. Sometimes, it was all too evident.

"See, Robin, go catch some sleep…"

Robin snorted gently. "How do you expect me to get any sleep?"

"I don't know….take a sleeping pill or something, the point is you need to rest your body….we'll mess up big time if we're not fully mentally and physically active while we're up against Slade."

There was too much truth in Cyborg's words to ignore it and Robin cursed loudly. "Fine, lets all get some sleep, where's Starfire?"

Shrugging, Cyborg quickly sent her an electrical signal. A second later, Starfire's voice crackled on the communicator stuck to Robin's side.

"_Robin…..what is it?" _Robin was so surprised he nearly fell off his seat.

"How did you…" he glared at Cyborg, who just grinned at him "….Starfire, where are you?"

"_I'm outside…." _

"What…..where?"

"_Don't worry, I am on the my way back…." _

"On my way back…" Robin said automatically "….from where…."

"_Why do you have to know everything…..." _Cyborg sniggered as she said this and Robin shot another useless glare at him.

"_…just ask all our friends to be in the hall…I think it was most unfair that friend Raven's party was ruined like that….let us have another one, only us…." _

"Umm….Starfire, I don't know if that's a good idea……besides, we all need to rest also…"

"_After all that…."_ Starfire's voice sounded impatient _"…later, we five only can wish Raven a belated birthday wish and give her our special gifts…now bye, Star over and out!" _

Robin was about to open his mouth when the line went dead. He frowned. "From where did she learn the "over and out" phrase….." he looked at Cyborg. "…what do you think, will Raven agree?"

"I don't see why she shouldn't…we'll just ask her to come down here and then have a little "only us" time…" Cyborg yawned. "…I…I mean, she'll be quite comfortable with that…I bet she hasn't even thought of opening her presents yet…we can select the good ones and our own and have her open it…"

"Yea…" Robin smiled for the first time in 12 hours. "We'll do that…I'm gonna tell Star also…lets rest awhile now….you tell BB…"

"Ok…"

They both walked out the room, sighing, unsure and troubled but feeling slightly better. At least they had something to do now…

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Raven was meditating. Something very, very common and comforting for her….and for the others too. She was being the typical Raven they knew, her legs curled beneath her in the Indian position, floating up and down gently, chanting her mantra over and over again.

She was in her room. She had been, until a few minutes ago, in extreme mental turmoil. She was, on one hand, very tense and scared and angry about what was happening to her and what would happen in a few hours time. On the other hand, she felt so light and…there was no other word for it…elated. She knew it was hardly the time for feeling happy and hopeful……_no!_ She shouldn't be feeling any of that, happy, yes, she had just received a beautiful gift from a friend…..but what about all the other feelings coursing through her?

Beastboy was her friend, he was worried about her and he wanted to surprise her, no other ulterior motive…... or was there?……

**THUD!**

Raven groaned as she picked herself of the floor. All that much for concentrating…….

She didn't even bother picking herself off the floor. It was after a full 5 minutes that she finally decided to move. She was feeling so…bored…Okay, Raven didn't feel bored, that word wasn't supposed to exist in her dictionary. She decided to take a bath, maybe stay in the bathtub for a while…

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was nearly half past 3pm when Robin woke up with a start and remembered that they were supposed to have a little Titan-time together. Starfire was not beside him…he wasn't surprised, sleeping separate had been a wise decision; especially now that they needed the sleep….they both had _actually _slept…

Robin was Robin, ready in under five minutes. He strolled to Starfire's room and found the bed empty. _**Well, of course….she was already getting stuff ready…**_ Robin sighed as he made his way to the hall. That was Starfire, she and Beastboy were the only ones who were relaxed and sensible enough to express themselves and their care for others.

He was right. They were all there, all of them except Raven. Beastboy was getting the plates ready: more food.

Cyborg was fiddling with his music system and Starfire was counting the gifts. It was a very bid pile, but those were the gifts from the Titans and the titans east and a few others who were close to them.

"Hi Robin!" Starfire greeted him, still counting. He nodded and then noticed that all of them were wearing normal clothes. Star had on a simple long, green skirt and a white spaghetti top, Beastboy was wearing a black, loose shirt and jeans, even Cyborg had on a loose shorts and flower print shirt.

They all turned to look at him and in unison said "Change!"

Robin didn't bother to argue. He knew when he was defeated….besides, it made sense. None of them needed to wear the costumes to be reminded that they were a part of the titans. That feeling, that sense of belonging and the responsibility that came with it was knitted into their very being. Right now, they all wanted to relax.

He was back in five minutes, sporting a blue t-shirt and black shorts. He did a quick security-check and then everyone was ready. They were all in the hall and they were all looking at each other.

_Who would go and call Raven???_

Robin turned to Star and she grinned at him, shaking her head. Much as she would have liked to be the one to call her, Starfire didn't want to be sent into another dimension so soon. Cyborg pretended to be busy with his stereo system the moment Robin's gaze fell on him and Robin dared not look at Beastboy.

"OKAY FINE!" he said loudly and wincing, Robin exited. He would have to call her himself.

Soon, he was standing in front of her door. He raised his hand to knock, paused and then knocked. He didn't receive an answer the first time but when he knocked again, he heard Raven mutter something inaudible.

Worried all of a sudden, he quickly overrode the sequence for her door and throwing it open, made his way in. her room was empty and he noticed that the door to the bathroom was open slightly.

"Raven?" he called out, loudly and clearly. He wasn't _that_ dumb to walk in there just like that?

"Robin, what the fuck are you doing in my room!?" the response was swift and loud and clearly from the bathroom. Robin sighed in relief. She was safe and since he hadn't been rash enough to walk in there, he was safe….

'Are you taking a bath?" he asked, groaning at the foolishness of the question. He could clearly hear the water running.

"No, Robin, I'm counting the tiles in my bathroom…..WHAT DO YOU THINK I WAS DOING??"

Robin winced. "Hmm….right…when will you finish…"

Before he could finish the sentence, Raven stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in bath robes and looking extremely annoyed.

"Yes….now tell me what you wanted to see me for?"

Taking an instinctive step back, Robin said "well, we all were….just…um, if you have nothing else to do….then could you come down to the hall?"

"What for?"

"Nothing…just" Robin paused and then frowned at her. "What's that on your neck?"

"Huh?" Raven suddenly turned red and her hand flew to her neck. She tucked it into her robe and then continued to glare at Robin. "Nothing…."

"Yea…right!" Robin was grinning now. Starfire had told him that Beastboy had planned to give Raven a chain for her birthday. "I bet that has "BB" written on it…"

Raven seemed to be frozen in time. Then Robin was suddenly knocked over by something fluffy. Even as he tried to get up, two more pillows landed on his head.

"Get…out…" Raven said as she used her powers to throw the pillows at him. down…I was just kidding…" the pillows stopped falling on his head. Probably because she had ran out of pillows… "Listen, the others are waiting, throw something on and come with me…."

Raven glared at him a second more and then sighed. "I'm fine, Robin. I don't need a another…."

"No, no…its nothing like that……you still haven't opened your gifts and everything…please come on, it'll be fun….and maybe I'll forget about whatever is around your neck" Robin watched as she turned first light pink, then light red and then an angry red…he was on dangerous grounds here.

"Fine…." She muttered at last. She walked to the nearly empty cupboard in one corner of her room and pulled out her usual attire.

"Not that…..come on, we're all wearing normal clothes." Robin pointed at himself.

"You're still wearing your mask…"

"If that bothers you, then…" Robin plucked off his mask in one swift movement. He knew she had just said that in a manner of talking, but he felt he ought to. They were all going to be 'normal' and he felt it wasn't fair that he had on his mask. He knew nobody would compel him to remove it….they all knew what he looked like under that mask though….

"Robin…" Raven's voice was soft and slightly shocked. She turned wordlessly to her wardrobe and pulled out a simple, black cotton skirt and a blue top. In a second she had phased herself into the clothes.

"That's so much better." Robin held out his hand for her. She took it and he pulled her to the door, feeling unusually happy. In spite of everything, they all had each other and with that came the ability to be happy whenever they wanted to, whenever they were together. He was also grinning because Raven was wearing the exact opposite of what Beastboy was. The chain wasn't on her neck anymore, but that didn't bother him. They were all going to get plenty of opportunities to tease her. _**And maybe BB and Rae will somehow find a way to realize their feelings without breaking the tower or destroying half the city in the process…..**_

**Author's note: **

Okay, be honest pls……..i promise the next one will be way better. Pls read and review and let me know if I'm making too many mistakes or boring you people.

Thanks so much for all the reviews….

moonlitpride


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